High Detection Rate Fast-Gated CMOS Single-Photon Avalanche Diode Module

We present a novel instrument for fast-gated operation of a 50 μm CMOS SPAD (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Single-Photon Avalanche Diode), driven by an integrated fast-gated active quenching circuit with transition times faster than 300 ps (20–80%). The ins...

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Main Authors: Marco Renna, Alessandro Ruggeri, Mirko Sanzaro, Federica Villa, Franco Zappa, Alberto Tosi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2020-01-01
Series:IEEE Photonics Journal
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Online Access:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9169781/
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author Marco Renna
Alessandro Ruggeri
Mirko Sanzaro
Federica Villa
Franco Zappa
Alberto Tosi
author_facet Marco Renna
Alessandro Ruggeri
Mirko Sanzaro
Federica Villa
Franco Zappa
Alberto Tosi
author_sort Marco Renna
collection DOAJ
description We present a novel instrument for fast-gated operation of a 50 &#x03BC;m CMOS SPAD (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Single-Photon Avalanche Diode), driven by an integrated fast-gated active quenching circuit with transition times faster than 300 ps (20&#x2013;80&#x0025;). The instrument is based on a custom system-in-package where the SPAD and its driving electronics are housed in a TO-8 package. The detector can be operated at repetition rates up to 160 MHz, with gate on-times as short as 500 ps, always guaranteeing a temporal response with 60 ps (FWHM) timing jitter and short exponential decay (53 ps time-constant). A dark-count rate as low as 1 cps is achieved operating the CMOS SPAD at 5 V above breakdown at a temperature of 263 K, still keeping the afterpulsing probability lower than 2&#x0025;, with only 50 ns hold-off time, thanks to the fast-gating driving electronics. The instrument is housed in a compact 5&#x00A0;&#x00D7;&#x00A0;4&#x00A0;&#x00D7;&#x00A0;8 cm<sup>3</sup> case and can be triggered by either an external or internal source. A USB link allows to adjust measurement parameters, SPAD bias voltage and operating temperature. The high re-configurability of the instrument and its state-of-the-art performance make it suitable for applications where high detection rates and low timing jitter are required.
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institution Kabale University
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publishDate 2020-01-01
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spelling doaj-art-3d80d06cd0a94dd69f7db65d6bc9a7bf2025-08-20T03:30:52ZengIEEEIEEE Photonics Journal1943-06552020-01-0112511210.1109/JPHOT.2020.30170929169781High Detection Rate Fast-Gated CMOS Single-Photon Avalanche Diode ModuleMarco Renna0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6642-7360Alessandro Ruggeri1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3702-524XMirko Sanzaro2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7522-9959Federica Villa3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9840-0269Franco Zappa4https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1715-501XAlberto Tosi5https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1210-2875Dipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, ItalyDipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, ItalyDipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, ItalyDipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, ItalyDipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, ItalyDipartimento di Elettronica, Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, ItalyWe present a novel instrument for fast-gated operation of a 50 &#x03BC;m CMOS SPAD (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Single-Photon Avalanche Diode), driven by an integrated fast-gated active quenching circuit with transition times faster than 300 ps (20&#x2013;80&#x0025;). The instrument is based on a custom system-in-package where the SPAD and its driving electronics are housed in a TO-8 package. The detector can be operated at repetition rates up to 160 MHz, with gate on-times as short as 500 ps, always guaranteeing a temporal response with 60 ps (FWHM) timing jitter and short exponential decay (53 ps time-constant). A dark-count rate as low as 1 cps is achieved operating the CMOS SPAD at 5 V above breakdown at a temperature of 263 K, still keeping the afterpulsing probability lower than 2&#x0025;, with only 50 ns hold-off time, thanks to the fast-gating driving electronics. The instrument is housed in a compact 5&#x00A0;&#x00D7;&#x00A0;4&#x00A0;&#x00D7;&#x00A0;8 cm<sup>3</sup> case and can be triggered by either an external or internal source. A USB link allows to adjust measurement parameters, SPAD bias voltage and operating temperature. The high re-configurability of the instrument and its state-of-the-art performance make it suitable for applications where high detection rates and low timing jitter are required.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9169781/Single-photonfast-gatedSPADafterpulsingquantum key distributionquantum communication
spellingShingle Marco Renna
Alessandro Ruggeri
Mirko Sanzaro
Federica Villa
Franco Zappa
Alberto Tosi
High Detection Rate Fast-Gated CMOS Single-Photon Avalanche Diode Module
IEEE Photonics Journal
Single-photon
fast-gated
SPAD
afterpulsing
quantum key distribution
quantum communication
title High Detection Rate Fast-Gated CMOS Single-Photon Avalanche Diode Module
title_full High Detection Rate Fast-Gated CMOS Single-Photon Avalanche Diode Module
title_fullStr High Detection Rate Fast-Gated CMOS Single-Photon Avalanche Diode Module
title_full_unstemmed High Detection Rate Fast-Gated CMOS Single-Photon Avalanche Diode Module
title_short High Detection Rate Fast-Gated CMOS Single-Photon Avalanche Diode Module
title_sort high detection rate fast gated cmos single photon avalanche diode module
topic Single-photon
fast-gated
SPAD
afterpulsing
quantum key distribution
quantum communication
url https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9169781/
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AT alessandroruggeri highdetectionratefastgatedcmossinglephotonavalanchediodemodule
AT mirkosanzaro highdetectionratefastgatedcmossinglephotonavalanchediodemodule
AT federicavilla highdetectionratefastgatedcmossinglephotonavalanchediodemodule
AT francozappa highdetectionratefastgatedcmossinglephotonavalanchediodemodule
AT albertotosi highdetectionratefastgatedcmossinglephotonavalanchediodemodule