Dead time duration and active reset influence on the afterpulse probability of InGaAs/InP single-photon avalanche diodes

Abstract

We perform the detailed study of the afterpulse probability's dependence in the InGaAs/InP sine-gated SPAD on the dead time and the used approach for its implementation. We have found that the comparator's simple latching can significantly reduce afterpulses' probability, even without using a dead time pulse that lowers the diode bias voltage. We have found that with a low probability of afterpulse (< 5 %) or with a large dead time (τ > 10 µs), it is sufficient to use a circuit with latching of the comparator, which will significantly simplify the development of an SPD device for applications in which such parameters are acceptable. We also proposed a precise method for measuring and the afterpulse and presented a model describing the recurrent nature of this effect. We have shown that it should not use a simple model to describe the afterpulse probability due to rough underlying physical processes. A second-order model is preferable.