Time-resolved optical spectrometer based on a monolithic array of high-precision TDCs and SPADs

Davide Tamborini; Bojan Markovic; Laura Di Sieno; Davide Contini; Andrea Bassi; Simone Tisa; Alberto Tosi; Franco Zappa

doi:10.1117/12.2040519

31 January 2014 Time-resolved optical spectrometer based on a monolithic array of high-precision TDCs and SPADs

Davide Tamborini, Bojan Markovic, Laura Di Sieno, Davide Contini, Andrea Bassi, Simone Tisa, Alberto Tosi, Franco Zappa

Proceedings Volume 8993, Quantum Sensing and Nanophotonic Devices XI; 89932I (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2040519
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2014, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

We present a compact time-resolved spectrometer suitable for optical spectroscopy from 400 nm to 1 μm wavelengths. The detector consists of a monolithic array of 16 high-precision Time-to-Digital Converters (TDC) and Single-Photon Avalanche Diodes (SPAD). The instrument has 10 ps resolution and reaches 70 ps (FWHM) timing precision over a 160 ns full-scale range with a Differential Non-Linearity (DNL) better than 1.5 % LSB. The core of the spectrometer is the application-specific integrated chip composed of 16 pixels with 250 μm pitch, containing a 20 μm diameter SPAD and an independent TDC each, fabricated in a 0.35 μm CMOS technology. In front of this array a monochromator is used to focus different wavelengths into different pixels. The spectrometer has been used for fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy: 5 nm spectral resolution over an 80 nm bandwidth is achieved. Lifetime spectroscopy of Nile blue is demonstrated.

Citation Download Citation

Davide Tamborini, Bojan Markovic, Laura Di Sieno, Davide Contini, Andrea Bassi, Simone Tisa, Alberto Tosi, and Franco Zappa "Time-resolved optical spectrometer based on a monolithic array of high-precision TDCs and SPADs", Proc. SPIE 8993, Quantum Sensing and Nanophotonic Devices XI, 89932I (31 January 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2040519

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