New silicon SPAD technology for enhanced red-sensitivity, high-resolution timing and system integration

Abstract

In this paper we present a new technology for the fabrication of Single Photon Avalanche Diodes (SPADs) aimed at combining the advantages of thin and thick SPADs. The new detector is manufactured in a thick epitaxial layer designed to improve the Photon Detection Efficiency (PDE) in the red and near-infrared range while maintaining a good timing resolution. Experimental characterization of the new red-enhanced SPAD (RE-SPAD) confirmed a significant improvement of the PDE compared with thin SPADs; for example the PDE at a wavelength of 800 nm has increased from 15% to about 40%. Nevertheless the temporal resolution is still good, with a timing jitter of about 90 ps FWHM. In the same operating conditions the dark count rate is comparable with the one attainable with a thin SPAD (e.g. less than 25 cps for a 50 µm diameter device cooled down to −5°C). Moreover, being planar, the new technology is compatible with the fabrication of arrays of detectors.

Keywords:

• single photon avalanche diode (SPAD)
• photon counting
• photon timing
• photon detection efficiency (PDE)
• TCSPC
• quantum efficiency (QE)

Acknowledgements

This work was partially supported the EC grant agreement No. 248095 (Q-ESSENCE) FP7–ICT–2009–4.