Mid-infrared upconversion imaging method and device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12342095-B2
Application number	US-202217936070-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2022
Priority date	Sep 29, 2021
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

A mid-infrared upconversion imaging method and a mid-infrared upconversion imaging device are provided, which are used for imaging detection in a mid-infrared wavelength band, and related to a technical field of infrared imaging. The method includes directing pump laser and mid-infrared light into a chirped crystal component located in an optical cavity to obtain visible light; and imaging an object with the visible light.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mid-infrared upconversion imaging method for imaging detection in a mid-infrared wavelength band, comprising:
converting mid-infrared photons to a visible wavelength band by nonlinear coherent frequency shift with a nonlinear frequency upconversion imaging technology, using a silicon material detector for detection, so as to image in mid-infrared wavelength band;
matching incident signals at different angles with different inversion periods using a chirped polarization crystal as a nonlinear medium, so as to obtain frequency conversion and increase a field of view of frequency upconversion imaging; and
using a narrow-band single-frequency continuous pumping in combination with an optical external cavity enhancement structure to increase pump light intensity,
wherein matching incident signals at different angles with different inversion periods using the chirped polarization crystal as the nonlinear medium comprises:
matching the incident signal in a relatively wide angle range with the different inversion periods by optimizing an intrinsic inversion structure in the chirped polarization crystal, to widen the field of view, realize the single frequency up-conversion imaging in a large field of view, and adopt a collinear working mode.

2. The mid-infrared upconversion imaging method according to claim 1 , wherein the chirped crystal component is a lithium niobate (LN) crystal, a lithium tantalate (LT) crystal, or a potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) crystal.

3. The mid-infrared upconversion imaging method according to claim 1 , wherein the nonlinear frequency upconversion imaging technology is used to perform nonlinear conversion from the mid-infrared wavelength band to the visible wavelength band at room temperature.

4. The mid-infrared upconversion imaging method according to claim 1 , wherein the narrow-band single-frequency continuous pumping is configured to cover infrared signal photons incident randomly in time domain, and is performed with a pump light source with a single longitudinal mode, narrow linewidth, and high spectral brightness.

5. The mid-infrared upconversion imaging method according to claim 1 , wherein the optical external cavity enhancement structure is configured to increase pump intensity; an optical resonator is configured to spatially filter a laser transverse field mode, so as to form a Gaussian beam in the cavity.

6. A mid-infrared upconversion imaging device, comprising:
a pump light source configured to emit pump light;
a mid-infrared light source configured to emit signal light;
a stage, on which an object to be tested is placed;
an optical cavity;
a first focusing lens and a second focusing lens placed in front of and behind the optical cavity, respectively;
a frequency upconversion system comprising a chirped crystal component; and
a charge coupled device configured to image the object,
wherein the chirped crystal component is located at a position where focal points of the first focusing lens and the second focusing lens overlap to form an imaging system;
the pump light is incident into the optical cavity to superimpose the pump light in the optical cavity to increase average power;
the signal light passes through a plane of the object to carry object information, and enters the optical cavity through the first focusing lens; and
the pump light and the signal light enter the chirped crystal component, in response to meeting a phase matching condition, the signal light in a mid-infrared wavelength band is converted to light in a visible wavelength band,
wherein the optical cavity is a four-mirror travelling-wave cavity having a bowknot shape.

7. The mid-infrared upconversion imaging device according to claim 6 , wherein the imaging system is a 4f imaging system.

8. The mid-infrared upconversion imaging device according to claim 6 , wherein the object to be tested comprises a biological cell, an industrial material, or a mask plate.

9. The mid-infrared upconversion imaging device according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a feedback control system comprising a locking system and a feedback driving element, and configured to lock the optical cavity.

10. The mid-infrared upconversion imaging device according to claim 6 , wherein the chirped crystal component comprises a lithium niobate (LN) crystal, a lithium tantalate (LT) crystal, or a potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) crystal.

11. The mid-infrared upconversion imaging device according to claim 6 , wherein the charge coupled device is a silicon-based charge coupled device.

12. The mid-infrared upconversion imaging device according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a temperature-controlled furnace configured to control a temperature of the chirped crystal component.

13. The mid-infrared upconversion imaging device according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a filter system configured to filter the light in the visible wavelength band.

14. The mid-infrared upconversion imaging device according to claim 6 , wherein each of the first focusing lens and the second focusing lens has a focal length of 100 mm.

Assignees

• Chongqing Institute Of East China Normal Univ
• Univ East China Normal
• Yunnan Huapu Quantum Mat Co Ltd
• Roi Optoelectronics Tech Co Ltd
• Chongqing Huapu New Energy Co Ltd
• Chongqing Huapu Information Tech Co Ltd
• Nanjing Roi Optoelectronics Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zeng Heping
• Wang Yinqi
• Huang Kun
• Hu Mengyun

Classifications

• G02F1/3548

  Quasi phase matching [QPM], e.g. using a periodic domain inverted structure · CPC title

• G01N2021/0112

  Apparatus in one mechanical, optical or electronic block · CPC title

• G01N21/35 Primary

  using infrared light (G01N21/39 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N21/01

  Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation · CPC title

• H04N23/957

  Light-field or plenoptic cameras or camera modules · CPC title