Single-photon avalanche photodiodes with integrated quenching resistor

Abstract In this paper we present the results of the first electrical and optical characterization performed on STMicroelectronics new photosensor technology based on silicon single-photon avalanche photodiodes (SPAD). On the prospective of the design and the manufacturing of large-area silicon photomultipliers to be used as photodetectors for nuclear medicine imaging applications, we have modified our previous SPAD technology by means of the integration of a high-value quenching resistor to the photodiode. Moreover, an appropriate antireflective coating layer and the reduction of the quasi-neutral region thickness above the thin junction depletion layer have been introduced in the process flow of the device to enhance its spectral response in blue and near ultraviolet wavelength ranges. High gain, low leakage currents, low dark noise, very good quantum detection efficiency in blue–near UV ranges and a good linearity of the photodiode response to the incident luminous flux are the main characterization results.

[1]  A. Tosi,et al.  Principles and features of Single Photon Avalanche Diode Arrays , 2007 .

[2]  S. Cova,et al.  A process and deep level evaluation tool: afterpulsing in avalanche junctions , 2003, ESSDERC '03. 33rd Conference on European Solid-State Device Research, 2003..

[3]  L. Cosentino,et al.  Arrays of Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes , 2006, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.

[4]  Zisis Papandreou,et al.  Comparison of a silicon photomultiplier to a traditional vacuum photomultiplier , 2005 .

[5]  L. A. Filatov,et al.  Silicon photomultiplier and its possible applications , 2003 .

[6]  C. Piemonte,et al.  Characterization of the First Prototypes of Silicon Photomultiplier Fabricated at ITC-irst , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science.

[7]  V. Saveliev,et al.  Novel type of avalanche photodetector with Geiger mode operation , 2004 .

[8]  Radivoje Popovic,et al.  Actively recharged single photon counting avalanche photodiode integrated in an industrial CMOS process , 2004 .

[9]  H Thienpont,et al.  SPAD arrays and micro-optics: towards a real single photon spectrometer , 2007 .

[10]  Massimiliano Belluso,et al.  Single photon avalanche photodiodes arrays , 2007 .

[11]  Alan Mathewson,et al.  Characterization of novel active area silicon avalanche photodiodes operating in the geiger mode , 2004 .

[12]  Alan Mathewson,et al.  Toward integrated single-photon-counting microarrays , 2003 .

[13]  A. Olshevski,et al.  Three advanced designs of micro-pixel avalanche photodiodes: Their present status, maximum possibilities and limitations , 2006 .

[14]  Alberto Tosi,et al.  Electronics for single photon avalanche diode arrays , 2007 .

[15]  Franco Zappa,et al.  Silicon planar technology for single-photon optical detectors , 2003 .

[16]  R. Mirzoyan,et al.  The Potential of SiPM as Photon Detector in Astroparticle Physics Experiments like MAGIC and EUSO , 2006 .

[17]  S. Cova,et al.  SPADA: single-photon avalanche diode arrays , 2005, IEEE Photonics Technology Letters.

[18]  D. Renker,et al.  Some studies for a development of a small animal PET based on LYSO crystals and Geiger mode-APDs , 2007 .