Monolithically integrated photon-mapping infrared imager.

Abstract

Conventional infrared imaging systems rely heavily on external power supplies, limiting their applicability, flexibility, and portability. Here, we present a monolithically integrated photon-mapping near-infrared (780-900 nm) imager that operates in a self-driven mode, achieving a resolution of 5799 ppi and a frame rate of 18.5 kHz. The device vertically integrates multiple photovoltage-generating light-sensing units with a light-emitting unit in a cascaded configuration, enabling visible emission upon near-infrared excitation via internal carrier transfer. Its circuit-free architecture confers intrinsic flexibility and large-area scalability while remaining fully compatible with room-temperature operation. The system eliminates the need for pixel-level readout, thereby enabling spatial resolution beyond conventional pixel limits under optical excitation control. It further supports high-speed imaging governed by the transit dynamics of photogenerated carriers. In addition, its self-driven characteristic ensures inherently low background noise, enhancing the signal-to-background ratio and improving imaging quality. This work introduces a simplified, energy-efficient approach to infrared visualization.