We observe the world around us predominantly through the measurement of optical intensity. Although powerful, this leaves the other fundamental optical degrees of freedom, phase and polarisation massively under-utilised. Our tendency to solely use intensity results from the static sensor technology that is available, which offer very limited ability to dynamically reconfigure their function or perform any optical processing. In SuperPixels we will co-develop a new integrated sensor platform that will revolutionise the way we process light to allow the full utilisation of its fundamental properties. Redefining the core functionality of our sensor technology will radically impact the technology that is deployed in a broad spectrum of cross-disciplinary areas such as nano-particle detection, compact atmospheric corrected imaging systems, endoscopy, coherent communications and on-chip processing of structured light. This vision will be enabled by a compact and multi-functional photonic integrated chip that would be installed into phones, microscopes, cameras, communication and environmental monitoring systems, becoming a central part of the way we collect and process optical information.
In SuperPixels, we will create an integrated photonics device that is based on a mesh of several hundred Mach-Zehnder interferometers, which will be used to dynamically map phase and polarisation, with the ability to fully transform any incident optical field. A revolutionary prototype system will be delivered that will partner our SuperPixels chip with a commercially available camera to enhance its functionality within a single frame of a camera. This prototype will support a number of potential applications that include visualising normally invisible nano-particles through phase mapping, imaging through multimode optical fibres, reconfigurable quantum communication links and mapping of airflow and particulates through phase and polarisation retrieval.
We will develop a new sensing platform that can be built into every optical device we use. We expect this technology to drastically change the landscape of research in many of the areas where non-standard camera technology is central, including biomedical imaging and quantum level systems. As the technology matures, we envisage our smart pixels being integrated alongside camera technology in cell-phones and cameras for adaptive imaging.
