Photonis USA has introduced a new optical receiver that offers a large detection area to optimise sensitivity in optical communication applications. The detector won the 2010 Prism Award for Photonic Innovation in the Information and Communications category.
The new optical receivers outperform conventional photomultiplier designs by a range of three to five times, and are capable of sustaining tens of microamperes of signal current over an indefinite period, making them ideal for unmanned or long-term communication sites. The company's receiver also has an integrated power supply offering low power consumption within a very small footprint.
Typical optical communication receivers have an active optical collection area of approximately 1mm. Photonis’ new receiver promotes an active area of 12mm, making the new receiver ideal for through air, water, or space applications. Data rates reach 2GHz, with rise times of 220pS.