CSEM and QDI Systems unveil quantum dot CMOS image sensor for direct X-ray and SWIR imaging
14/10/2025
Swiss technology innovation centre CSEM, in collaboration with Dutch deep-tech start-up QDI Systems, has developed what is claimed to be the world’s first image sensor to directly convert X-rays into electronic signals using quantum dots (QDs) on a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) platform. This revolutionary approach enables compact, low-cost and scalable wide-spectrum imaging, from X-rays through visible to short-wave infrared (SWIR), with applications ranging from safer medical diagnostics to advanced industrial inspection and intelligent recycling.
The sensor leverages a spray-coated layer of quantum dots, nanoscale semiconductor crystals tuned to absorb different wavelengths, deposited directly onto standard CMOS chips, the same cost-efficient platform used in smartphones. This direct-conversion design eliminates the need for bulky scintillators, complex hybrid bonding or expensive materials such as indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs), unlocking a new class of lightweight and affordable sensors.
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| SWISSMODICS wafer prior to dicing, showing the read-out-integrated circuit (ROIC) and test structures. Image courtesy of CSEM |
The key technical benefits include direct X-ray detection with high spatial resolution, sensitivity across 400-1300 nm, including visible, near-infrared and SWIR, and nearly 100% fill factor, preserving pixel density and power efficiency.
By combining quantum dot photoconversion with mass-producible CMOS technology, this sensor bridges performance and affordability in fields where advanced imaging has been cost-prohibitive, including in industrial inspection for non-destructive testing of aircraft components and machinery and SWIR imaging for crop health monitoring.
“This innovation is a step change for multispectral imaging,” said Nadim Maamari, Group Leader for Edge AI and Vision Systems at CSEM. “It is a platform that breaks down cost and size barriers, bringing cutting-edge imaging to markets that could not previously afford it.”
The sensor was developed under the SWISSMODICS project, led by CSEM and funded by the European Union’s Clean Sky 2 programme, with additional support from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) under the SwissChips initiative. Originally designed for embedding into aircraft structures to detect internal damage without disassembly, the technology now offers wide-spectrum imaging benefits across multiple industries.
www.csem.ch
