An example circuit includes a light detector and a biasing capacitor having (i) a first terminal that applies to the light detector an output voltage that can either bias or debias the light detector and (ii) a second terminal for controlling the output voltage. The circuit includes a first transistor connected to the second terminal of the biasing capacitor and configured to drive the output voltage to a first voltage level above a biasing threshold of the light detector and thereby biasing the light detector. The circuit includes a second transistor connected to the second terminal of the biasing capacitor and configured to drive the output voltage to a second voltage level below the biasing threshold of the light detector and thereby debiasing the light detector. The second voltage is a non-zero voltage that corresponds to a charge level of the biasing capacitor.

The present disclosure relates to a photoelectric detector. The photoelectric detector comprises a semiconductor device, a first electrode, a second electrode, and a current detection element. The semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor layer, a first carbon nanotube, and a second carbon nanotube. The semiconductor layer comprises a N-type semiconductor layer and a P-type semiconductor layer, and the semiconductor layer defines a first surface and a second surface. The first carbon nanotube is on the first surface and electrically connected the first electrode. The second carbon nanotube is on the second surface and electrically connected the second electrode. The first carbon nanotube and the second carbon nanotube intersects with each other. A multilayer structure is formed by an overlapping region of the first carbon nanotube, the semiconductor layer, and the second carbon nanotube.

A semiconductor device including photosensor capable of imaging with high resolution is disclosed. The semiconductor device includes the photosensor having a photodiode, a first transistor, and a second transistor. The photodiode generates an electric signal in accordance with the intensity of light. The first transistor stores charge in a gate thereof and converts the stored charge into an output signal. The second transistor transfers the electric signal generated by the photodiode to the gate of the first transistor and holds the charge stored in the gate of the first transistor. The first transistor has a back gate and the threshold voltage thereof is changed by changing the potential of the back gate.

An electromagnetic wave detecting apparatus is provided with: a plurality of detecting devices each of which is configured to detect an electromagnetic wave; a voltage applying device configured to apply bias voltage to each of the plurality of detecting devices; an obtaining device configured to obtain a detection signal outputted from each of the plurality of detecting devices; and a setting device configured to set acquisition timing of the detection signal for each of the plurality of detecting devices, on the basis of the bias voltage, which is applied to each of the plurality of detecting devices, and the detection signal of each of the plurality of detecting devices.

A system for detecting an illuminance of the present invention includes a light source, a light sensor, and a signal output module. The light source includes a first A light-emitting diode, the first A light-emitting diode having a first color light; and the light source emits a first ray of light. The light sensor has a sensing face; the light sensor includes a first B light-emitting diode disposed on the sensing face, the first B light-emitting diode having the first color light; and the light sensor receives at least a portion of the first ray of light and generates a first sensing voltage. The signal output module is coupled to the light sensor to receive the first sensing voltage and output a sensing result signal according to the first sensing voltage.

A method for counting photons using a photomultiplier includes obtaining a measurement signal from a raw signal produced by the photomultiplier by correcting the raw signal for a noise signal and/or an offset, wherein an incident photon produces a pulse in the raw signal. The measurement signal is integrated over time to form an analog integrated measurement signal. A number of photons that are incident in the photomultiplier is ascertained by comparing a value of the analog integrated measurement signal to an integral proportionality value which corresponds to a specific number of photons incident in the photomultiplier.

A superconducting medium includes a first layer made of a first superconductor and a second layer made of a second superconductor. The first layer has a first thickness less than a first coherence length of the first superconductor. The second layer has a second thickness less than a second coherence length of the second superconductor so as to induce a proximity effect between the first layer and the second layer. The proximity effect can induce desirable properties in the resulting superconducting medium. Controlling the thickness ratio of the first layer to the second layer can also tune the property of the superconducting medium.

Methods, systems, and apparatus, for a stray-light testing station. In one aspect, the stray-light testing station includes an illumination assembly including a spatially extended light source and one or more optical elements arranged to direct a beam of light from the spatially extended light source along an optical path to an optical receiver assembly including a lens receptacle configured to receive a lens module and position the lens module in the optical path downstream from the parabolic mirror so that the lens module focuses the beam of light from the spatially extended light source to an image plane, and a moveable frame supporting the optical receiver assembly including one or more adjustable alignment stages to position the optical receiver assembly relative to the illumination assembly such that the optical path of the illumination assembly is within a field of view of the optical receiver assembly.

A lighting unit (10) for estimating an amount of daylight in a lighting environment includes: a light source (12); a filter (330) configured to block incident light in a first wavelength range, the incident light comprising both daylight and non-daylight incident light; a camera (32) configured to receive the filtered incident light and generate a detection signal (342), the filtered incident light being outside the first wavelength range; and a controller (22) in communication with the camera and configured to process the detection signal to estimate the amount of daylight incident light.

A photon detector is provided. The photon detector includes a superconducting wire having a plurality of alternating narrow and wide portions; a current source electrically-coupled to the superconducting wire and configured to supply the superconducting wire with electrical current; and an optical waveguide optically coupled to the plurality of narrow portions of the superconducting wire.