We present a pseudo-planar geometry 26µm diameter Ge-on-Si single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detector with temperature insensitive single photon detection efficiency of 29.4% at 1310nm wavelength for applications including free-space LIDAR. A record low dark count rate of 104 counts/s at 125K at an excess bias of 6.6% is demonstrated, with temporal jitter reaching 134ps. The noise-equivalent power is measured to be 7.7x10-17WHz-12 which is a 2 orders of magnitude reduction when compared to comparable 25µm mesa devices. This device represents the state-of-the-art for Ge-on-Si SPADs, and highlights that these Si foundry compatible devices have enormous potential for SWIR single-photon applications.
We present innovative planar geometry Ge-on-Si single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detectors. These devices provide picosecond timing resolution for applications operating in the short-wave infrared wavelength region such as quantum communication technologies and three-dimensional imaging. This new planar design successfully reduces the undesirable contribution of surface defects to the dark current. This has allowed for the use of large excess biases, resulting in a single-photon detection efficiency of 38% when operated at 125 K using 1310 nm wavelength illumination. A record low noise equivalent power of 2 × 10-16 WHz-1/2 was achieved, more than a fifty-fold improvement compared to the previous best Ge-on-Si mesa geometry SPADs when operated under similar conditions. These Ge-on-Si SPAD detectors have operated in the range of 77 K to 175 K, and we will discuss ways in which the operating temperature can be raised to that consistent with Peltier cooling. We will present analysis of Ge-on-Si SPADs, which has revealed much reduced afterpulsing compared with SPAD detectors in other material systems. Laboratory trials have demonstrated these Ge-on-Si SPAD devices in short-range LIDAR and depth profiling measurements. Estimations of the performance of these detectors in longer range measurements will be presented. We will discuss the potential for the development of high efficiency arrays of Ge-on-Si SPADs for the use in eye-safe automotive LIDAR and quantum technology applications.
High efficiency, Ge-on-Si single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detectors operating in the short-wave infrared region (1310 nm - 1550 nm) at near room temperature have the potential to be used for numerous emerging applications, including quantum communications, quantum imaging and eye-safe LIDAR applications. In this work, planar geometry Ge-on-Si SPAD designs demonstrate a significant decrease in the dark count rate compared to previous generations of Ge-on-Si detectors. 100 μm diameter microfabricated SPADs demonstrate record low NEPs of 2.2×10-16 WHz-1/2, and single-photon detection efficiencies of 18% for 1310 nm at 78 K. The devices demonstrate single-photon detection at temperatures up to 175 K.
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