Page 19 - Winter 2025

In October 2024 JAXA and NEC successfully opaque white resin structures with a low scattering New First for Infrared Imaging Avalanching Nanoparticles create new
achieved the optical inter-satellite communication core through which light was passed. It was found Possibilities for Optoelectronics
Researchers at Nottingham Trent University have
between DAICHI-4 equipped with the Optical Leo that it was possible to transmit over a hundred
pioneered new camera technology that will bring Scientists at Oregon State University have
Laser Communication Terminal (OLLCT) dedicated times more light through the low-scattering core
high resolution to the entire range of infrared discovered a new type of nanocrystal that has
to an Earth observation satellite, and the Optical than in structures without it. The phenomenon
imaging for the first time. the ability to be toggled from light to dark and
Data Relay Satellite equipped with the Optical Geo was demonstrated using both straight and curved
back again, which is envisaged to have major
Laser Communication Terminal (OGLCT) dedicated structures. The new technique will make it possible to detect,
implications for optoelectronics offering a way to
to a geostationary satellite. As a result DAICHI-4 view and switch between the full infrared range in
A comprehensive mathematical model was devised rapidly process and store information using light
observation data was successfully transmitted using one place, which is currently not possible.
to explain the physical processes of diffusion which particles.
optical communication. The success of this data
underpins the results. As the resulting equations are Visual cameras, such as those in smartphones,
transmission utilising LUCAS facilitates immediate These avalanching nanoparticles exhibit extreme
similar to those representing the conduction of heat offer high resolution and clarity, but cannot be used
downloading of a large amount of observation non-linearity in their light-emission properties with
through solid materials, it is postulated that the new for infrared or thermal imaging as the images are
data, which is difficult to achieve through direct the result that they emit light the intensity of which
technique may have wider usage than just with light. blurred due to less developed sensors working in the
communication to groundstations in areas that lack can increase significantly with a small increase in the
infrared ranges.
accessible groundstations. intensity of the laser light that is exciting them.
Infrared sensors are, however, critical from the near-
In LUCAS optical communication has been adopted Leader of the University of Glasgow Extreme Light Nanocrystals composed of potassium, chlorine and
infrared range, just beyond the visible spectrum,
in the data relay system onboard the geostationary Research Group, Professor Danielle Faccio, is quoted lead, doped with neodymium were studied and it
through to the long infrared range, with applications
satellite. By using optical communication between as follows: was found that whilst the potassium lead chloride
in areas such as food quality control, night vision,
the Earth observation satellite and the geostationary crystals do not interact with light themselves, as
“ Tall cumulus clouds are often bright white at their medical imaging and inspection for heat and gas
satellite, LUCAS enables data transmission from the hosts they can enable neodymium guest ions to
tallest point and dark grey at their lowest because leakages.
Earth observation satellite at 1.8 Gbps, 7.5 times faster handle light more efficiently, making them useful for
sunlight is scattered through the countless water
than the 240 Mbps transmission rate of the Data The new technique involves deployment of a layer optoelectronics, laser technology and other optical
droplets which are contained in the cloud’s interior.
Relay Test Satellite KODAMA (DRTS) (4) using previous of engineered arrays of nanoparticles, known as applications.
The light decays exponentially as it scatters
generation radio waves. As light has a bandwidth metasurfaces, that can absorb all infrared bands and
through the cloud, making the lower part darker, Artiom Skricka, Associate Professor at the Oregon
far wider than that of radio waves (5THz in the convert them into visible light. These metasurfaces
and is reflected at the top, which makes it white. State University College of Science, explains:
1.5µm wavelength band), it can transmit a lot more can be configured to be pixelated so as to offer
information. The use of the 1.5µm band was derived We started to wonder whether it might be possible higher resolutions and independently controlled “ Normally, luminescent materials give of light
from NEC’s development achievements in terrestrial to harness that scattering effect in a controlled way, to switch between different infrared bands. The when they are excited by a laser and remain dark
and underwater optical fibre communication and to use it to create a path to guide light through objective is for this Universal Platform for Infrared when they are not. In contrast, we were surprised to
systems, and whilst the 1.5µm band is relatively scattering materials. Imaging to offer an inexpensive alternative to the find that our nanocrystals live parallel lives. Under
deficient in power efficiency, the recent success in present complex semiconductor technology that is certain conditions, they show a peculiar behaviour:
We’re still learning new tricks about light, in this case
long-distance high-speed transmission between the required for infrared imaging. they can be either bright or dark under exactly the
by a process that we were surprised to discover has
geostationary satellite and the low Earth orbit satellite same laser excitation wavelength and power.
more in common with our understanding of the way Mohsen Rahmani, Professor of Engineering at the
is expected to accelerate its utilisation in space-
heat travels than light. Nottingham Trent University School of Science and
based optical communication.
Technology, states:
That means that we can expect to use this technique If the crystals are dark to start with, we need a
Reference: Gittins, C., ‘JAXA and NEC achieve Transmission of Mission
Data’, Electronic Specifier, 27th. January to find new ways to see inside opaque biological “ Our ambition is to have all of the visible and higher laser power to switch them on and observe
tissue using light, but also that we can apply it to infrared bands together in high resolution in one emission, but once they emit they remain emitting
guide more than just photons. We could create new inexpensive device. Infrared cameras are critical and we can observe their emission at lower laser
New Method for controlling and guiding Light ways to carry heat through systems which need to for many applications, but these rely on cameras powers than we needed to switch them on initially.
be cooled, like data centre computers, or to transport to work at different infrared sub-bands. No single
Researchers at the University of Glasgow have It’s like riding a bike - to get it going you have to
particles like neutrons, which could open up new camera can detect all bands. They are also low in push the pedals hard, but once it is in motion
pioneered a new method for controlling and guiding
applications for nuclear power plants, for example”. pixels with poor image quality, are expensive and
light based on the way in which sunlight passes you need less effort to keep it going. And their
through clouds. Reference: West, P., ‘Sky’s the Limit for Cloud-inspired Method of heavy on energy consumption. luminescence can be turned off really abruptly, as
guiding Light’, Electronic Specifier, 4th. November if by pushing a button intrinsic optical bistability.
The ‘waveguiding’ effect that has been discovered We aim to generate a new addition to visible
cameras, technology which is not currently Integrating photonic materials with intrinsic optical
is analogous to fibre optic cable, which carries light
through its core by means of total internal reflection. compatible with our everyday technologies but bistability could mean faster and more efficient
can be easily incorporated. We can do this with the data processors, enhancing machine learning
This is achieved through the use of cladding around
the core that has a lower refractive index such that creation of a compact nanoscale layer which sits algorithms and data analysis. It could also mean
between the other layers of a standard camera”. more efficient light-based devices of the type used
the light continues to ‘bounce’ along the length of the
core enabling it to travel long distances with minimal Reference: Gittins, C., ‘NTU Research Team developing new Infrared in fields like telecommunications, medical imaging,
loss. Imaging Tech’, Electronic Specifier, 3rd. December environmental sensing, and interconnects for
optical quantum computers”.
The team has refined this effect so that light is
Reference: Gittins, C., ‘OSU Researchers investigate new
transported through a solid core of weakly scattering
Nanocrystals’, Electronic Specifier, 6th. January
material which is in turn encased in a material that
scatters much more strongly. The contrast between
the scattering properties of the materials confines the
light to the core and enables it to be guided with very
high precision.
A 3D-printer was used to produce highly scattering
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