Arrays of InP-based Avalanche Photodiodes for Photon Counting

Author

Verghese, Simon ; Donnelly, Joseph P. ; Duerr, Erik K. ; McIntosh, K. Alex ; Chapman, David C. ; Vineis, Christopher J. ; Smith, Gary M. ; Funk, Joseph E. ; Jensen, Katharine Estelle ; Hopman, Pablo I. ; Shaver, David C. ; Aull, Brian F. ; Aversa, Joseph

Author_Institution

Massachusetts Inst. of Technol., Lexington

Volume

13

Issue

4

fYear

2007

Firstpage

870

Lastpage

886

Abstract

Arrays of InP-based avalanche photodiodes (APDs) with InGaAsP absorber regions have been fabricated and characterized in the Geiger mode for photon-counting applications. Measurements of APDs with InGaAsP absorbers optimized for 1.06 mum wavelength show dark count rates (DCRs) <20 kHz for room-temperature operation with photon detection efficiency (PDE) up to 50% and a reset or dead time of 1s. APDs with InGaAs absorbers optimized for 1.55 μm wavelength and 240 K temperature have DCRs <20 kHz, PDE up to 45%, and a reset time of ~6 mus. Arrays for both wavelengths have been fabricated and packaged with GaP microlenses (of 100 and 50 μm pitch) and CMOS readout integrated circuits (ROICs). Comparisons are made between ROICs that operate in the framed-readout mode as well as those that operate in continuous-readout mode.

Keywords

CMOS integrated circuits; Geiger counters; III-V semiconductors; avalanche photodiodes; gallium arsenide; gallium compounds; indium compounds; microlenses; photodetectors; photon counting; readout electronics; CMOS readout integrated circuits; GaP; GaP microlenses; Geiger mode; InGaAsP; InGaAsP absorbers; InP; InP-based avalanche photodiodes; continuous-readout mode; dark count rates; framed-readout mode; photon counting; photon detection efficiency; size 100 mum; size 50 mum; temperature 240 K; wavelength 1.06 mum; wavelength 1.55 mum; Avalanche photodiodes; CMOS integrated circuits; Indium gallium arsenide; Integrated circuit packaging; Lenses; Microoptics; Microwave integrated circuits; Temperature; Time measurement; Wavelength measurement; Avalanche photodiodes (APDs); Geiger-mode APD (GM-APD); InP; photon counting; single photon detection;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1077-260X

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JSTQE.2007.904464

Filename

4303056