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Review
. 2016 Apr 8;16(4):495.
doi: 10.3390/s16040495.

Geiger-Mode Avalanche Photodiode Arrays Integrated to All-Digital CMOS Circuits

Brian Aull  1
Affiliations
Review

Geiger-Mode Avalanche Photodiode Arrays Integrated to All-Digital CMOS Circuits

Brian Aull. Sensors (Basel). .

Abstract

This article reviews MIT Lincoln Laboratory's work over the past 20 years to develop photon-sensitive image sensors based on arrays of silicon Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes. Integration of these detectors to all-digital CMOS readout circuits enable exquisitely sensitive solid-state imagers for lidar, wavefront sensing, and passive imaging.

Keywords: Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes; avalanche photodiodes; imagers; imaging; ladar; lidar; photon counting; wavefront sensing.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Photon-to-digital conversion. The GMAPD is biased so that it produces a CMOS-logic-compatible voltage pulse, enabling a direct connection to pixel logic.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Simplified cross section showing pixel structure, field profile, and operation.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Transfer and bump bonding.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Steps in the Lincoln 3D-integration process to integrate the APD wafer (tier 1) with the first SOI CMOS wafer (tier 2).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Cross-sectional SEM through a pixel of the 64×64 GMAPD array.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Via-first 3D integration.
Figure 7
Figure 7
4 × 4 GMAPD array wire bonded to CMOS timing circuits.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Low-fill-factor APD design used in lidar sensors.
Figure 9
Figure 9
(a) Forest canopy as viewed from a nearby tower (b) Composite lidar image obtained by combining data collects from four different heights and then filtering out the early returns.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Lidar image of a bridge in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Figure 11
Figure 11
(a) 64 × 64-pixel lidar focal plane fabricated by 3D integration of a GMAPD array with two tiers of SOI CMOS circuitry (b) Lidar image of a cone obtained by illumination from a doubled Nd:YAG microchip laser.
Figure 12
Figure 12
High-fill-factor APD design used in quad cells and passive imaging devices.
Figure 13
Figure 13
(a) Color contour plot of the count rate from the lower right detector as a function of the position of a small light spot raster scanned over the area of the quad cell; (b) Contour plot of the sum of the count rates from all four pixels as a function of light spot position.
Figure 14
Figure 14
Image of church steeple.
Figure 15
Figure 15
(a) One binary frame; (b) the digital sum of 64 binary frames; and (c) the digital sum of 32,768 binary frames.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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