Single-photon avalanche diodes in 0.18-μm high-voltage CMOS technology

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Semiconductor Devices
• Integrated Circuit Design

Background:

• Single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) are crucial for detecting single photons.
• Existing SPAD designs often require specialized fabrication processes, increasing costs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and fabricate high-performance SPADs using a readily available CMOS technology.
• To achieve excellent device characteristics without custom process modifications.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a standard 0.18-µm high-voltage CMOS manufacturing process.
• Designed and fabricated SPAD devices leveraging the existing technology platform.

Main Results:

• Achieved low dark-count rate, high photon-detection probability, and low afterpulsing.
• Demonstrated acceptable timing jitter and breakdown voltage.
• SPADs were fabricated without any technology customization.

Conclusions:

• The developed SPADs offer a compelling combination of high performance and low cost.
• This design enables widespread adoption of advanced SPADs in various applications.