Singular Photonics

Singular Photonics is a fabless semiconductor company developing next-generation image sensors based on Single-Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) technology. Founded in 2024 as a spinout from the University of Edinburgh's CMOS Sensors and Systems Group, the company is translating over two decades of frontier photonics research — led by Professor Robert Henderson, a pioneer of SPAD digital imaging — into manufacturable semiconductor components ready for real-world commercial deployment. The company is headquartered at the Royal Observatory in Edinburgh and has joined the Silicon Catalyst UK incubation programme and the UK government's Chipstart UK programme.

The core problem Singular Photonics addresses is the fundamental limitation of conventional image sensors: they capture intensity (how much light), but not time (when the photons arrived) or depth (how far away objects are). SPAD sensors resolve this by detecting individual photons with nanosecond-precision timing, enabling simultaneous capture of spatial and temporal data to produce rich 4D images. Singular's key technical differentiation is its integration of advanced computation directly at the pixel level — enabling in-pixel histograms, time-correlated single photon counting, autocorrelation measurements, and on-chip preprocessing — without requiring external computing infrastructure. The company's sensors are designed to be manufactured using standard semiconductor processes, making them compatible with high-volume production at the cost and scale required for consumer and automotive applications.

The company has launched two commercial sensor products: Sirona, a 512-pixel SPAD line sensor for Raman spectroscopy, FLIM, and time-of-flight; and Andarta, a 5mm x 5mm SPAD array developed with Meta for wearables and AR applications. Singular Photonics is generating revenue within its first year of operation, has secured a strategic distribution partnership with AMS Technologies for the European market, and is actively developing its next sensor generation — ATLAS, a 512x512 SPAD array with embedded autocorrelation — for scientific and quantum applications. The company raised £1 million from the Scottish Venture Fund, Cambridge Angels, and Old College Capital.