High performance planar germanium-on-silicon single-photon avalanche diode detectors
Peter Vines1, Kateryna Kuzmenko2, Jarosław Kirdoda3
1Institute of Photonics and Quantum Sciences, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, UK. p.vines@hw.ac.uk.
Nature Communications
|March 8, 2019
Summary
New germanium-on-silicon (Ge-on-Si) single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detectors offer improved short-wave infrared performance. These detectors advance ultra-sensitive measurements for applications like automotive LIDAR and quantum technologies.
Area of Science:
- Optoelectronics
- Semiconductor physics
- Photonics
Background:
- Single-photon detection is crucial for ultra-sensitive measurements of fast optical signals.
- Semiconductor detectors in the short-wave infrared (SWIR) often underperform compared to silicon devices at shorter wavelengths.
- Existing SWIR single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) technologies face limitations in efficiency and noise.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a new generation of planar germanium-on-silicon (Ge-on-Si) single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detectors for enhanced SWIR operation.
- To significantly improve the performance metrics of SWIR single-photon detectors.
- To explore the potential of Ge-on-Si technology for advanced applications.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of planar germanium-on-silicon (Ge-on-Si) single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) devices.
- Characterization of detector performance, including single-photon detection efficiency (SPDE) and noise equivalent power (NEP).
- Comparative analysis against existing mesa-geometry SPADs and InGaAs/InP devices.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated a single-photon detection efficiency of 38% at 125 K and 1310 nm wavelength.
- Achieved a fifty-fold improvement in noise equivalent power compared to optimized mesa-geometry SPADs.
- Observed significantly reduced afterpulsing effects compared to InGaAs/InP devices.
Conclusions:
- The planar Ge-on-Si SPAD platform offers a substantial advancement in SWIR single-photon detection.
- This technology provides a viable pathway for creating large arrays of efficient, high-data-rate SWIR detectors.
- Potential applications include eye-safe automotive LIDAR and quantum information technologies.
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