Feasibility of an ultrafast and low-cost image sensor based on single-pulse photomechanical with minimal electronics electromagnetic detection (SPEED)

Objective Image sensors are the backbone of numerous imaging technologies that underpin modern science and engineering, being particularly important for biomedical imaging systems. The ideal sensor technology should be compatible with any region of the electromagnetic spectrum as each spectral range interrogates matter uniquely, support ultrahigh imaging rates (millions of frames per second), and remain cost-effective. These requirements become particularly challenging in the Terahertz (THz) spectral domain, which is of growing interest for biomedical imaging. Here, we present an alternative image sensor concept with potential to overcome the THz imaging challenges termed Single-pulse Photomechanical ElectromagnEtic Detection (SPEED). Moreover, we demonstrate its feasibility for the THz spectral region through realistic simulations. Approach SPEED sensors leverage the principles of optoacoustic biomedical imaging. They use the optoacoustic effect for the light transduction operation, instead of the classical photoelectric or photothermal approaches. By taking advantage of the optoacoustic tomography principles, SPEED can be implemented with a highly simplified electronic readout scheme that boosts imaging speed while highly reducing overall cost. We evaluated the concept with numerical simulations representative of THz operation, quantifying achievable frame rates, reconstruction fidelity, expected sensitivity and practical implementation constraints relevant to medical imaging systems. Main results Our results demonstrate that a SPEED image sensor operating at 10^5-10^6 frames per second is feasible for the THz domain, surpassing the fastest existing THz image sensors by 2-3 orders of magnitude. The architecture supports broadband operation and can be tailored to other spectral areas while maintaining ultrahigh frame rates. Moreover, we show that such a sensor can be implemented at low cost due to the highly simplified electronic readout. Significance This work lays the foundations for a new generation of ultrafast, low-cost cameras for the THz and other spectral domains, with clear relevance to emerging imaging tasks in biomedicine where high temporal resolution and low-cost hardware are critical. .