Graphene Sensor Reflective Surface for Lens-Free Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electromagnetic radiation sensing apparatuses lack efficiency in detecting radiation at specific angles and require additional optical components for focusing, which complicates imaging applications.
Innovation Solution
A flexible transparent substrate with a sensor comprising two-dimensional material, such as graphene, mounted on a reflective surface that reflects electromagnetic radiation at a perpendicular angle onto a field effect transistor, eliminating the need for additional optical components and enabling focused imaging without lenses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional optical components are used for focusing electromagnetic radiation, then imaging quality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes conventional optical components (lenses, mirrors) from the imaging system and replaces them with a flat sensor array that directly detects electromagnetic radiation. Each pixel on the sensor array corresponds to a specific angle of incidence, eliminating the need for complex focusing optics while maintaining imaging capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/optical focusing system with an electronic detection system. Instead of using physical lenses to focus light onto specific points, the system uses an array of sensors with specific angular sensitivity characteristics to directly detect radiation from different angles, substituting optical mechanics with electronic detection.
2Measurement precision
If additional optical components are added for focusing, then detection precision at specific angles is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the optical focusing components from the system, relying instead on the inherent angular sensitivity of each sensor pixel. This simplifies manufacturing by eliminating the need to precisely manufacture and align optical components, while maintaining the ability to detect radiation at specific angles through the sensor array's geometric configuration.
3Measurement precision
If conventional lens-based imaging is used, then image focusing is achieved, but device cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes lenses and other complex optical focusing elements from the imaging system. Instead, it uses a flat sensor array where each pixel is sensitive to a specific range of incident angles, allowing the system to achieve focusing效果 through the spatial arrangement and angular sensitivity of the sensors rather than through optical refraction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of detection from position-based (where lenses focus light to specific points) to angle-based (where each sensor detects radiation from specific angles). This parameter change allows the system to achieve imaging without conventional optical components, simplifying the overall device structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The apparatus efficiently detects electromagnetic radiation at specific angles, providing focused images and enabling applications like vein mapping and three-dimensional imaging without conventional lenses, using a flexible and cost-effective design with graphene field effect transistors.
Implementation Method 1
a reflective surface, formed by depositing a reflective material onto a flexible surface, arranged to reflect electromagnetic radiation that has passed through the transparent substrate onto the sensor
Implementation Method 2
a sensor arranged to detect electromagnetic radiation wherein the sensor comprises two dimensional material
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus comprises a transparent substrate (3), at least one sensor (5) for the detection of electromagnetic radiation (31), and for each sensor a corresponding mirror having a reflective surface (11). The reflective surface (11) is shaped so that electromagnetic radiation (31) incident on the transparent substrate (3) at a specific angle, passing through the transparent substrate (3) and being reflected by the reflective surface (11) is directed towards the sensor (5). The sensor (5) comprises a two dimensional material like graphene and may be a quantum dot functionalised graphene field effect transistor. The present invention enables the incident electromagnetic radiation (31) to be focussed onto the at least one sensor (5) without the use of additional optical components like lenses or microlenses. This may enable focussed images to be obtained by the apparatus.