Prospects and fundamental limitations of room temperature, non-avalanche, semiconductor photon-counting sensors (Conference Presentation)

Jiaju Ma; Yang Zhang; Xiaoxin Wang; Lei Ying; Saleh Masoodian; Zhiyuan Wang; Dakota A. Starkey; Wei Deng; Rahul Kumar; Yang Wu; Seyed Amir Ghetmiri; Zongfu Yu; Shui-Qing Yu; Gregory J. Salamo; Eric R. Fossum; Jifeng Liu

doi:10.1117/12.2264958

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9 June 2017 Prospects and fundamental limitations of room temperature, non-avalanche, semiconductor photon-counting sensors (Conference Presentation)

Jiaju Ma, Yang Zhang, Xiaoxin Wang, Lei Ying, Saleh Masoodian, Zhiyuan Wang, Dakota A. Starkey, Wei Deng, Rahul Kumar, Yang Wu, Seyed Amir Ghetmiri, Zongfu Yu, Shui-Qing Yu, Gregory J. Salamo, Eric R. Fossum, Jifeng Liu

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Proceedings Volume 10212, Advanced Photon Counting Techniques XI; 1021209 (2017) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2264958
Event: SPIE Commercial + Scientific Sensing and Imaging, 2017, Anaheim, California, United States

Abstract

This research investigates the fundamental limits and trade-space of quantum semiconductor photodetectors using the Schrödinger equation and the laws of thermodynamics.We envision that, to optimize the metrics of single photon detection, it is critical to maximize the optical absorption in the minimal volume and minimize the carrier transit process simultaneously. Integration of photon management with quantum charge transport/redistribution upon optical excitation can be engineered to maximize the quantum efficiency (QE) and data rate and minimize timing jitter at the same time. Due to the ultra-low capacitance of these quantum devices, even a single photoelectron transfer can induce a notable change in the voltage, enabling non-avalanche single photon detection at room temperature as has been recently demonstrated in Si quanta image sensors (QIS). In this research, uniform III-V quantum dots (QDs) and Si QIS are used as model systems to test the theory experimentally. Based on the fundamental understanding, we also propose proof-of-concept, photon-managed quantum capacitance photodetectors. Built upon the concepts of QIS and single electron transistor (SET), this novel device structure provides a model system to synergistically test the fundamental limits and tradespace predicted by the theory for semiconductor detectors. This project is sponsored under DARPA/ARO's DETECT Program: Fundamental Limits of Quantum Semiconductor Photodetectors.

Conference Presentation

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Jiaju Ma, Yang Zhang, Xiaoxin Wang, Lei Ying, Saleh Masoodian, Zhiyuan Wang, Dakota A. Starkey, Wei Deng, Rahul Kumar, Yang Wu, Seyed Amir Ghetmiri, Zongfu Yu, Shui-Qing Yu, Gregory J. Salamo, Eric R. Fossum, and Jifeng Liu "Prospects and fundamental limitations of room temperature, non-avalanche, semiconductor photon-counting sensors (Conference Presentation)", Proc. SPIE 10212, Advanced Photon Counting Techniques XI, 1021209 (9 June 2017); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2264958

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