A 1280 by 720 by 3, 12-Band Multispectral Imager for Dual Near-Infrared Fluorophore Differentiation

We present the design, fabrication, and optical validation of a single-chip multispectral imaging sensor spanning 400 nm to 1050 nm. The sensor integrates vertically stacked photodiodes with pixelated spectral filters to capture 12 spectral bands—three in the visible spectrum and nine in the near-infrared (NIR) spectrum. This enables simultaneous visualization of both tumor-targeted and lymph node-mapping probes using the same NIR excitation source. The system’s performance was validated through optical experiments, demonstrating accurate spectral differentiation between indocyanine green (ICG) and the folate-targeted probe Cytalux. This multispectral imaging approach addresses the limitations of current imaging systems, which are restricted to single-probe visualization, offering a powerful tool for enhancing cancer surgery outcomes.