InGaAs conformal imager with wide field of view

   Natural imaging systems such as the retina and the compound eye employ a conformal architecture that provides an aberration-free image with wide field of view (FOV) and very low f/number. However, most artificial imagers such as conventional cameras are limited to a planar architecture demanded by the use of brittle semiconductor focal plane arrays (FPAs). High resolution image formation on this flat field requires multiple bulky optical elements. To alleviate these issues, we are working on high performance thin-film InGaAs photodiode FPAs on flexible and/or conformable substrates that can be shaped to overcome these fundamental limitations. The array can be shaped into either a convex cylindrically curved imager to achieve a 2π FOV, or can be formed into a concave shape to provide high resolution and compact spectrometry over a wide wavelength range. The unique features of flexible FPAs provide a new paradigm for realizing advanced electronic and imaging applications.