Graphene Flagship industrial partner Emberion launches wide spectrum array sensor at Laser World of Photonics
Graphene Flagship industrial partner, Emberion, is launching a new hyperspectral graphene photodetector at Laser World of Photonics on June 24 to 27 Munich, Germany.
Emberion was one of the first spinouts of the Graphene Flagship. It was founded in 2016 to take work done in the Graphene Flagship Optoelectronics work package to the market. Emberion's ultra-sensitive photodetectors combine graphene transistors with an efficient light absorbing layer. This combination enables a wide spectral range covered with a single photodetector, from visible (VIS) light to short-wave infrared (SWIR), detecting wavelengths from 400 to 1800nm. Penetrating through material, the SWIR light allows for quick analysis of organic products, such as food and chemical composition.
Complete detection of visible light and short waved infrared range previously required two sensor types; silicon and InGaAs typically. InGaAs sensors however can be expensive for the end customer. The replacement of such material with graphene couples the capabilities of silicon and InGaAs in one graphene-based sensor, allowing for~30% cost reduction.
VIS-SWIR graphene photodetectors are a ready-to-buy product, making previously cost-prohibited in-line and in-field spectroscopy applications feasible. These include food security. plastic sorting in recycling, authentication of pharmaceutical products, agricultural field analysis and non-invasive medical imaging.
"Graphene's unique properties and its compatibility to combine with other materials allowed us to create this cost-effective array for spectrometers," explained Tapani Ryhänen, CEO of Emberion. "Providing broad spectrum capabilities, without the expense of traditional InGaAs sensors, the VIS-SWIR graphene photodetector provides a digital output using Emberion's inhouse designed read out circuits (ROIC) — without the need to translate analogue data with additional components.
"With sensitivity and noise levels comparable to InGaAs detectors, our graphene-based sensors are a more affordable option for businesses who were previously faced with costly products."
Author bio
Graphene Flagship
Bringing together 118 academic and industrial partners in 12 research and innovation projects and 1 coordination and support project, the Graphene Flagship initiative will continue to advance Europe’s strategic autonomy in technologies that rely on graphene and other 2D materials. The initiative, which builds on the previous 10-years of the Graphene Flagship, is funded by the European Commission’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme. The 2D-Experimental Pilot Line, addressing the challenges of upscaling 2D material production processes for the semiconductor industry, is another key component of the Graphene Flagship eco-system.