Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode focal plane arrays for three-dimensional imaging LADAR

Mark A. Itzler; Mark Entwistle; Mark Owens; Ketan Patel; Xudong Jiang; Krystyna Slomkowski; Sabbir Rangwala; Peter F. Zalud; Tom Senko; John Tower; Joseph Ferraro

doi:10.1117/12.861600

27 August 2010 Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode focal plane arrays for three-dimensional imaging LADAR

Mark A. Itzler, Mark Entwistle, Mark Owens, Ketan Patel, Xudong Jiang, Krystyna Slomkowski, Sabbir Rangwala, Peter F. Zalud, Tom Senko, John Tower, Joseph Ferraro

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 7808, Infrared Remote Sensing and Instrumentation XVIII; 78080C (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.861600
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2010, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

We report on the development of focal plane arrays (FPAs) employing two-dimensional arrays of InGaAsP-based Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes (GmAPDs). These FPAs incorporate InP/InGaAs(P) Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes (GmAPDs) to create pixels that detect single photons at shortwave infrared wavelengths with high efficiency and low dark count rates. GmAPD arrays are hybridized to CMOS read-out integrated circuits (ROICs) that enable independent laser radar (LADAR) time-of-flight measurements for each pixel, providing three-dimensional image data at frame rates approaching 200 kHz. Microlens arrays are used to maintain high fill factor of greater than 70%. We present full-array performance maps for two different types of sensors optimized for operation at 1.06 μm and 1.55 μm, respectively. For the 1.06 μm FPAs, overall photon detection efficiency of >40% is achieved at <20 kHz dark count rates with modest cooling to ~250 K using integrated thermoelectric coolers. We also describe the first evalution of these FPAs when multi-photon pulses are incident on single pixels. The effective detection efficiency for multi-photon pulses shows excellent agreement with predictions based on Poisson statistics. We also characterize the crosstalk as a function of pulse mean photon number. Relative to the intrinsic crosstalk contribution from hot carrier luminescence that occurs during avalanche current flows resulting from single incident photons, we find a modest rise in crosstalk for multi-photon incident pulses that can be accurately explained by direct optical scattering.

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Mark A. Itzler, Mark Entwistle, Mark Owens, Ketan Patel, Xudong Jiang, Krystyna Slomkowski, Sabbir Rangwala, Peter F. Zalud, Tom Senko, John Tower, and Joseph Ferraro "Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode focal plane arrays for three-dimensional imaging LADAR", Proc. SPIE 7808, Infrared Remote Sensing and Instrumentation XVIII, 78080C (27 August 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.861600

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