Gated-mode integrated single photon detector for telecom wavelengths

IEEE Photonics Conference 2012

Campbell

et al. 2012

We propose and demonstrate a technique cancel common mode signals of sinusoidally gated single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs). This approach enables the elimination of narrowband filters that fix the frequency of conventional single photon detection with sine wave gating.Index terms -single-photon avalanche diode, single-photon detection, photon counting, dark count rate, afterpulsing, infrared photons, InP.

“…The dual SPAD receiver was first tested with pulsed gating [6]. The applied DC biases on Diode 1 and Diode 2 are positive and negative, respectively (Fig.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Single photon detection with sine gated dual InGaAs/InP avalanche diodes

IEEE Photonics Conference 2012

Campbell

et al. 2012

“…When the signals are recombined, the transient signals cancel. This type of common-mode cancellation can also be achieved with balanced detectors [22]. Tomita and Nakamura have used dual SPADs biased in parallel with differential detection [23].…”

Section: Principle Of Commom Mode Cancellation and Experimental Smentioning

confidence: 98%

“…For InGaAs/InP SPADs this can restrict the laser repetition rate to ∼ 100 kHz [17]- [19]. Recently, improved quenching techniques such as selfdifferencing [6], [7], sinusoidal gating [8]- [10], [20], fast gating [13] with matched delay lines [21] or dummy path [14], [15], and balanced detection [22]- [26], have been developed to increase the clock rate of InGaAs/InP SPADs from kHz to GHz [8]- [10], [12], [13], [27]. However, it should be noted that the data transmission rate (i.e.…”

mentioning

confidence: 98%

Pulsed Gating With Balanced InGaAs/InP Single Photon Avalanche Diodes

IEEE J. Quantum Electron.

Campbell

et al. 2013

We demonstrate balanced InGaAs/InP single photon avalanche diodes operated in gated mode for a data transmission rate of up to 20 MHz. The common-mode signal cancellation realized with the balanced configuration enabled detection of small avalanche pulses. For a laser repletion rate of 20 MHz at 240 K, the dark count probability for a photon detection efficiency of 13% is 1.9 × 10 −5 . The afterpulse probability is 0.3% for a 2 ns pulse width, hold-off time of 20 ns, and 10% PDE, at 240 K.Index Terms-Avalanche photodiodes, infrared detectors, noise cancellation, optical receivers, optoelectronic and photonic sensors, RF signals, signal to noise ratio.

“…A hybrid combination of self differencing and sine wave gating has also been reported [2]. Selfdifferencing can also be achieved with balanced detectors [11]. Tomita and Nakamura have used dual SPADs biased in parallel with differential detection [12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Balanced InGaAs/InP avalanche photodiodes for single photon detection

Zheng

et al. 2012

SPIE Proceedings

We demonstrate a sinusoidally-gated InGaAs/InP photodiode pair operated at wavelength of 1310 nm with high photon detection efficiency (PDE) and low dark count rate (DCR). The photodiode pair is biased in a balanced scenario so that the common component of the output signal is cancelled. The concept of balanced photodiodes helps improve detection efficiency while canceling the common mode signal, which, in this case, is the capacitive response of the photodiodes. In conventional sinusoidal gating, an extra component, -an RF filter (or several) at the gating frequency, is utilized to filter out the gating signal and leave the avalanche signal for detection. For this configuration, sinusoidally-gated counting systems are restricted to a single frequency. With the balanced single photon diodes (SPAD), sinusoidal gating within a continuous frequency range is feasible. A printed circuit with symmetric layout of two bias tees was fabricated on a duroid board to enable the application of AC and DC signals for the dual SPADs. At a laser repletion rate of 1 MHz and temperature of 240 K the DCR and PDE were 58 kHz and 43%, respectively. Afterpulsing probability was lower compared with a sinusoidually-gated single SPAD. Jitter of 240 ps was achieved with 1 photon per pulse for an excess bias of 1.6%.