Detectors & Imaging

Leti demonstrates new curving technology that improves optoelectronic devices

Jan. 20, 2018

Leti will demonstrate PIXCURVE technology for curved optoelectronics at SPIE Photonics West 2018.

A fully functional prototype CMOS 20 Mpixel full-frame sensor, working in the visible, is one product that can be created from Leti’s curved substrate technology. This prototype was developed by CEA-LETI in the frame of the LAM-CEA collaboration funded under the FOCUS Labex and ERC.

At SPIE Photonics West in San Francisco, Jan. 27-Feb. 1, Leti (Grenoble, France) will demonstrate its new curving technology for optical components that improves performance, enhances field of view and compensates for optical aberrations. Called PIXCURVE, it is one of several developments that Leti will demonstrate at booth 431 in the Moscone Center. The topic also is one of 20 papers Leti will present during the conference.

PIXCURVE is a proof of concept for optical components such as microdisplays, visible imagers and cooled infrared sensors used in mobile phones, telescopes, medical-imaging tools, IR sensors and other imaging applications. In addition to improving performance, the curving substrate technology minimizes the vignetting effect that reduces brightness on the borders of images, and it makes cameras, imagers, and microdisplays lighter and more compact.

The technology can be used to curve components such as CMOS imagers and charged-coupled device (CCD) imagers for mobile phones, cameras, medical equipment, and industrial-control equipment. Other uses include IR sensors for astronomy, defense, drones and microdisplays for automotive applications, augmented reality and virtual reality.

"Leti's advances in miniaturization and integration technologies for photonics will help make the digital world visible for key uses in multiple sectors," said Alexis Rochas, Leti business developer, visible imaging. "PIXCURVE helps demonstrate the institute's focus on curvature radius and both spherical and cylindrical curvature of image sensors and imagers, and its response to imaging-equipment companies' interest in a wide range of curved optical components."

The paper highlighting PIXCURVE technology, "Curved sensors for compact high-resolution wide-field designs: prototype demonstration and optical characterization", will be presented at 2:40 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1.

SOURCE: Leti; http://www.leti-cea.com/cea-tech/leti/english/Pages/What%27s-On/Press%20release/leti-to-demonstrate-new-curving-technology-that-improves-performance-of-optical-components-at-photonics-west.aspx and http://ewass.kuoni-congress.info/press/2017/06/28/two-eas-members-awarded-prizes-for-revolutionary-curved-detectors/

About the Author

Gail Overton | Senior Editor (2004-2020)

Gail has more than 30 years of engineering, marketing, product management, and editorial experience in the photonics and optical communications industry. Before joining the staff at Laser Focus World in 2004, she held many product management and product marketing roles in the fiber-optics industry, most notably at Hughes (El Segundo, CA), GTE Labs (Waltham, MA), Corning (Corning, NY), Photon Kinetics (Beaverton, OR), and Newport Corporation (Irvine, CA). During her marketing career, Gail published articles in WDM Solutions and Sensors magazine and traveled internationally to conduct product and sales training. Gail received her BS degree in physics, with an emphasis in optics, from San Diego State University in San Diego, CA in May 1986.