Photon-trapping surface structures in ultrafast photodetectors: overcoming hardware limits with AI-driven computational imaging

Advanced imaging technologies are undergoing a transformation through the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and nanophotonics. By leveraging compact arrays of specialized photosensors embedded with innovative nanostructures, the size of imaging systems can be significantly reduced while improving their speed, sensitivity, and overall performance. These nanoscale structures can trap, manipulate, and slow down photons, enabling multidimensional imaging that captures spectral content, ultrafast temporal events, and fine spatial features in real time. This paper demonstrates that combining AI algorithms with nanophotonic components on a CMOS-compatible platform enables powerful, miniaturized imaging and spectroscopic systems. This approach opens new possibilities for impactful applications across healthcare, agriculture, security, communication, and more.