Hod Finkelstein

STI-Bounded Single-Photon Avalanche Diode in a Deep-Submicrometer CMOS Technology

This letter presents a novel and compact CMOS Geiger-mode single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) device with an efficient guard ring structure for preventing edge breakdown. The new guard ring can withstand considerably higher electric fields than existing structures, and results in pixels which are an order of magnitude smaller and offer a nine-fold increase in fill factor compared with existing SPADs. The device has been studied numerically and experimentally on a 0.18-mum CMOS technology. Due to its small area, the detector can be operated with minimal power dissipation and has been verified to operate reliably over 5times1010 cycles. This is the first SPAD proven in a deep-submicrometer non-high-voltage technology and as such, provides unique opportunities for improved performance and for on-chip integration of the ultrafast timing circuitry required to translate the SPAD output into meaningful data

An ultrafast Geiger-mode single-photon avalanche diode in 0.18-μm CMOS technology

We demonstrate a new single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) device, which utilizes the silicon-dioxide shallow-trench isolation (STI) structure common to all deep-submicron CMOS technologies, both for junction planarization and as an area-efficient guard-ring. This makes it possible to achieve an order-of-magnitude improvement in fill factor and a significant reduction in pixel area compared with existing CMOS SPADs, and results in improved SPAD performance. We present numerical simulations as well preliminary experimental results from a test chip, which was manufactured in an IBM 0.18 μm CMOS technology, and which incorporates the devices. With these new and efficient structures, 12 μm-pitch pixels with sub-10ns dead times are achievable without requiring active recharge, creating the opportunity to integrate large arrays of these ultra-fast SPADs for use in biological imaging systems.

Fast and power-efficient infrared single-photon upconversion using hot-carrier luminescence

We analyze a new method for single-photon frequency upconversion. This technique uses a byproduct of the avalanche process - electroluminescence resulting from hot-carrier recombination - as a means of upconversion. Because the spectrum of the emitted photons peaks near the bandgap of the multiplying material and has a significant tail at higher energies, it is possible to generate secondary photons at significantly higher energies than the primary absorbed photon. The secondary photons can then be detected by a coupled CMOS silicon single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD), where the information can also be processes. This upconversion scheme does not require any electrical connections between the detecting device and the silicon SPAD, so glass-to-glass bonding can be used, resulting in inexpensive, high-density arrays of detectors. We calculate the internal and system upconversion efficiencies, and show that the proposed scheme is feasible and highly efficient for application such as quantum key distribution and near infrared low-light-level imaging.

External electroluminescence measurements of InGaAs∕InAlAs avalanche photodiodes

The external efficiency of electroluminescence resulting from hot-carrier recombination has been studied in an InGaAs∕InAlAs avalanche photodiode. An analytical model that quantifies this emission is presented. Experimental data suggest that the emission originates from an intrinsic layer above the multiplication region. This electroluminescence mechanism offers a novel way for frequency upconversion, where the upconverted frequency can be controlled with proper choice of device layers. Lastly, we report for the first time the optical absorption properties of In0.52Al0.48As.