Advanced Technology

R&D in advanced technology focuses on inventing new materials, devices, and components to enable revolutionary system capabilities. We pursue innovation in a wide set of areas, including imagers, lasers, quantum computing, microsystems, RF technology, and chemical sensors.

Advanced Imager Technology
Advanced Materials and Microsystems
Laser Technology and Applications
Quantum Information and Integrated Nanosystems
RF Technology

Our group has pioneered imaging technologies that have enabled some of the world's most powerful telescopes and cameras for the defense and scientific communities. These technologies include charge-coupled-device (CCD) imagers for astronomical instruments, single-photon-sensitive imagers for foliage-penetrating ladar systems, and digital-pixel focal plane arrays for wide-area infrared cameras.

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When NASA made history in 2013 with the longest laser communication link ever demonstrated (from a Moon-orbiting satellite to Earth), our group was behind the satellite's laser transmitter and the ground terminals' highly sensitive photon detectors that enabled the link. We have a long history of developing advanced solid-state, fiber, and diode laser technologies for the scientific and defense communities.

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A square electronic chip with a red laser hitting the side of it

Lighting up the ion trap

Oct 21

Image of neonlike glowing red lines on a black background

In the Media

Generating photons for communication in a quantum computing system

Oct 9

MIT News

A photo of a superconducting quantum hip with 16 qubits.

MIT partners with national labs on two new quantum research centers

Aug 26

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Three step progression of material in self repair, from cracked, to processing, to fully repaired.

advanced materials

Self-Healing Materials for Vibration Damping

New materials that are chemically inspired by nature could be tailored at the molecular level to dissipate vibrations in microsystems. Materials that can survive repeated external stresses could enable a next generation of enhanced microsystems.

A zoomed-in view of a metal nozzle shooting a stream of orange onto a metal surface, and a nozzle shooting a stream of purple at the orange stream of material.

microelectronics

Microplasma Sputterer

A novel method for manufacturing interconnects could open the door for 3D-printed microelectronic systems.

TESS's cameras, which will monitor planets passing in front of stars, were designed and built by Lincoln Laboratory engineers. Illustration: Chester Beals

space

Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite

A new planet hunter will spend the next two years searching for exoplanets, including those that could support life.

Researchers test the prototype standoff microwave imaging system. The antennas emit radio signals that reflect off the person standing in front of the array; the system processes the reflections to create the image on the monitors in the background.

advanced imaging

Video-Rate Standoff Microwave Imaging System

The system can rapidly and discreetly detect threat items concealed under clothes or hidden in bags of people in crowded public spaces.

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One of my favorite parts about this job is the idea that I could be the first person implementing a certain technique or working on an invention that no one in the world has seen yet.

Kelsey Yee

Laser Engineer

Advanced Technology

Laser Technology and Applications

I always describe what I do as a game of 3D Tetris, but all of the tetrominoes have electrical characteristics and the win conditions invariably change a few times during play.