Low-noise AlGaAsSb avalanche photodiodes for 1550nm light detection

Xiao Collins; Benjamin White; Ye Cao; Tarick Osman; Jonathan Taylor-Mew; Jo Shien Ng; Chee Hing Tan

doi:10.1117/12.2608842

4 March 2022 Low-noise AlGaAsSb avalanche photodiodes for 1550nm light detection

Xiao Collins, Benjamin White, Ye Cao, Tarick Osman, Jonathan Taylor-Mew, Jo Shien Ng, Chee Hing Tan

Proceedings Volume 11997, Optical Components and Materials XIX; 1199709 (2022) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2608842
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2022, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

The optical detector used in pulsed LIDAR, range finding and optical time domain reflectometry systems is typically the limiting factor in the system’s sensitivity. It is well-known that an avalanche photodiode (APD) can be used to improve the signal to noise ratio over a PIN detector, however, APDs operating at the eye-safe wavelengths around 1550 nm are limited in sensitivity by high excess noise. The underlying issue is that the impact ionization coefficient of InAlAs and InP used as the avalanche region in current commercial APDs are very similar at high gain, leading to poor excess noise performance. Recently, we have demonstrated extremely low noise from an Al(Ga)AsSb PIN diode with highly dissimilar impact ionization coefficients due to electron dominated impact ionization. In this paper, we report on the first low noise InGaAs/AlGaAsSb separate absorption, grading and multiplication APDs operating at 1550 nm with extremely low excess noise factor of 1.93 at a gain of 10 and 2.94 at a gain of 20. Furthermore, the APD’s dark current density was measured to be 74.6 μA/cm² at a gain of 10 which is competitive with commercial devices. We discuss the impact of the excess noise, dark current and responsivity on the APDs sensitivity and, project a noise-equivalent power (NEP) below 80 fW/Hz^0.5 from a 230 μm diameter APD and commercial transimpedance amplifier (TIA). The prospects for the next generation of extremely low noise APDs for 1550 nm light detection are discussed.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Xiao Collins, Benjamin White, Ye Cao, Tarick Osman, Jonathan Taylor-Mew, Jo Shien Ng, and Chee Hing Tan "Low-noise AlGaAsSb avalanche photodiodes for 1550nm light detection", Proc. SPIE 11997, Optical Components and Materials XIX, 1199709 (4 March 2022); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2608842

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available