CEA-Leti researchers have developed the first device capable of both sensing and modulating light within a single unit. This innovation integrates a liquid crystal cell with a CMOS image sensor, enabling a compact and scalable system with intrinsic optical alignment. The breakthrough is expected to drive the adoption of digital optical phase conjugation (DOPC) techniques in applications such as microscopy and medical imaging.
Breaking New Ground in Optical Integration
“The main benefits of this device, which provides significant advantages compared to competing systems that require separate components, should boost its deployment in more complex and larger optical systems,” said Arnaud Verdant, CEA-Leti research engineer in mixed-signal IC design and lead-author of the paper presented at IEDM 2024.
The paper, “A 58×60 π/2-Resolved Integrated Phase Modulator and Sensor With Intra-Pixel Processing,” describes the first solid-state device combining a liquid crystal spatial light modulator with a custom lock-in CMOS image sensor. Each pixel in the device’s 58×60 array is capable of both sensing and modulating light phases, eliminating bandwidth constraints caused by data transfer between separate components. The bandwidth is limited only by the liquid crystal’s response time, making the system well-suited for use in fast-decorrelating, scattering media such as biological tissues.
Advancing Biomedical and Industrial Applications
By leveraging DOPC, the device dynamically compensates for optical wavefront distortions, improving imaging resolution and penetration depth in biomedical applications. The technology has the potential to enhance wavefront shaping, enabling focused light delivery in applications like photodynamic therapy, where light activates photosensitive drugs in tumors.
“Scattering in biological tissues and other complex media severely limits the ability to focus light, which is a critical requirement for many photonic applications,” Verdant explained. “Wavefront shaping techniques can overcome these scattering effects and achieve focused light delivery. In the future, this will make it possible to envision applications such as photodynamic therapy, where light focusing selectively activates photosensitive drugs within tumors.”
“When this technology is more mature, it also may have diverse benefits across various sectors, in addition to improving biomedical imaging resolution and depth,” he said. “It could enable earlier disease detection and non-invasive therapies. In industry, it could enhance laser beam quality and efficiency.”
About CEA-Leti
CEA-Leti, part of the CEA, is a global leader in micro and nanotechnologies, headquartered in Grenoble, France, a hub for deeptech innovation. Since 1967, CEA-Leti has been advancing semiconductor solutions through a lab-to-fab model that supports companies of all sizes, from startups to global corporations, throughout their innovation journeys.
With expertise in low-carbon energy, digital, health, and defense and security technologies, CEA-Leti leverages 11,000 sq. m of cleanrooms, a portfolio of 3,200 patents, and a team of over 2,000 experts to drive innovation. Its mission includes transferring technologies to industry partners and fostering startup creation, with 76 startups launched to date.
CEA-Leti’s ecosystem spans the entire value chain, combining cutting-edge R&D with proven processes for technology transfer, strict confidentiality, and an ambitious eco-innovation program to address society’s most pressing challenges.
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