Until recently, charge-coupled devices (CCDs) have been the preferred sensor for low-light imaging applications, offering unparalleled performance across all key specifications. In particular, electron multiplying CCDs (EMCCDs) have become the de facto standard for imaging the weakest phenomena, involving signals of just a few photons per pixel.

Applications of these cameras involve various forms of luminescence as well as a wide range of quantum-related studies such as quantum key distribution, entanglement, ghost imaging, quantum interference, EPR, quantum holography and the broader field of cold ions/atoms and Bose-Einstein condensates. 

In the past few years, new image sensors have become available as fabrication technologies yield chips with higher quantum efficiency, lower noise, better uniformity and faster readout. Notably, the new class of high-performance complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensors have started to make inroads into the realm previously dominated by EMCCDs. This seminar will focus on selected features of EMCCD and scientific CMOS imagers that are likely to lead researchers to novel uses of these devices for studies of quantum phenomena.

Dr Marcin Barszczewski is an applications scientist and training specialist at Andor Technology. He has 15 years’ expertise in a wide range of imaging applications of CCD, EMCCD and CMOS cameras.

Marcin obtained his PhD in neurosciences from the Max-Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry and

Georg-August University in Goettingen, Germany. He has held various technical roles at Andor (now an Oxford Instruments company) advising customers in the field of low-light biomedical imaging as well as applications in physical sciences including astronomy, x-ray and quantum imaging.