Hamamatsu Photonics introduces the world’s first photon-number-resolving scientific camera with incredibly low noise and 9.4 megapixels.
Sale of this new camera begins in May 2021.

2021/05/09

ORCA®-Quest qCMOS Camera C15550-20UP

Hamamatsu Photonics has designed and produced a scientific camera called the ORCA®-Quest qCMOS camera (part number C15550-20UP), having incredibly low noise of 0.27 electrons rms and a high pixel number of 9.4 megapixels. What makes this possible is a new two-dimensional CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) image sensor, designed by applying our unique design technology and fabricated using the latest manufacturing technologies. In quantitative imaging, the photoelectric noise generated when light is converted into electrical signals is the all-important factor that determines the lower detection limit of the camera. The ORCA-Quest reduces this photoelectric noise to a level below the signals generated by photons (particles of light), which are the minimum unit of light. This makes the ORCA-Quest the world’s first camera to achieve 2D photon number resolving measurement, meaning that it accurately measures the number of photons to create an image. For example, the ORCA-Quest can observe the quantum states of ions and neutral atoms more accurately, making it a promising tool for accelerating research and development of quantum technology for quantum computers(*) and a host of other applications.

Sales of the ORCA-Quest will start on Thursday, May 20, 2021 for researchers at universities and companies both in Japan and overseas.

(*) Quantum computers:
Quantum computers make use of phenomena in which quantum particles such as ions and neutral atoms are in a state of superposition or, namely, are both 0 and 1 at the same time. By utilizing these phenomena, quantum computers are promising devices that can perform parallel processing to solve vast and complex problems that cannot otherwise be solved on a realistic time and scale.