Duke University Creates World's Fastest Light Detector

What Happened Duke University scientists have achieved a major breakthrough in photodetection technology by creating an ultrathin device that combines unprecedented speed with full-spectrum light sensitivity. The photodetector can respond to electromagnetic radiation ranging from visible light to infrared and beyond, generating electrical signals in just 125 picoseconds. This achievement makes it the fastest pyroelectric detector ever built, according to the research team. Pyroelectric detectors work by converting temperature changes caused by absorbed light into electrical signals, but traditional devices typically operate in the nanosecond range—roughly 1,000 times slower than this new innovation.