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Avalanche photodiode

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describes the decrease in the noise, relative to Poisson statistics, due to the uniformity of conversion process and the absence of, or weak coupling to, bath states in the conversion process. In other words, an "ideal" semiconductor would convert the energy of the charged particle into an exact and reproducible number of electron hole pairs to conserve energy; in reality, however, the energy deposited by the charged particle is divided into the generation of electron hole pairs, the generation of sound, the generation of heat, and the generation of damage or displacement. The existence of these other channels introduces a stochastic process, where the amount of energy deposited into any single process varies from event to event, even if the amount of energy deposited is the same.
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device performance associated with the capacitance, transit times and avalanche multiplication time. The capacitance increases with increasing device area and decreasing thickness. The transit times (both electrons and holes) increase with increasing thickness, implying a tradeoff between capacitance and transit time for performance. The avalanche multiplication time times the gain is given to first order by the gain-bandwidth product, which is a function of the device structure and most especially
276:. In this case, the photodetector needs to have its signal current limited and quickly diminished. Active and passive current-quenching techniques have been used for this purpose. SPADs that operate in this high-gain regime are sometimes referred to being in Geiger mode. This mode is particularly useful for single-photon detection, provided that the dark count event rate and afterpulsing probability are sufficiently low. 370:, which indicates how well incident optical photons are absorbed and then used to generate primary charge carriers; and total leakage current, which is the sum of the dark current, photocurrent and noise. Electronic dark-noise components are series and parallel noise. Series noise, which is the effect of 328:
are required for nearly 100% light absorption. The excess noise factor is low enough to permit a gain-bandwidth product in excess of 100 GHz for a simple InP/InGaAs system, and up to 400 GHz for InGaAs on silicon. Therefore, high-speed operation is possible: commercial devices are available
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Another noise source is the excess noise factor, ENF. It is a multiplicative correction applied to the noise that describes the increase in the statistical noise, specifically Poisson noise, due to the multiplication process. The ENF is defined for any device, such as photomultiplier tubes, silicon
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is the multiplication coefficient for electrons (and holes). This coefficient has a strong dependence on the applied electric field strength, temperature, and doping profile. Since APD gain varies strongly with the applied reverse bias and temperature, it is necessary to closely monitor the reverse
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The underlying physics associated with the excess noise factor (gain noise) and the Fano factor (conversion noise) is very different. However, the application of these factors as multiplicative corrections to the expected Poisson noise is similar. In addition to excess noise, there are limits to
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The noise term for an APD may also contain a Fano factor, which is a multiplicative correction applied to the Poisson noise associated with the conversion of the energy deposited by a charged particle to the electron-hole pairs, which is the signal before multiplication. The correction factor
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is the ratio of the hole impact ionization rate to that of electrons. For an electron multiplication device it is given by the hole impact ionization rate divided by the electron impact ionization rate. It is desirable to have a large asymmetry between these rates to minimize
470: 116:, whereby a photon provides the energy to separate charge carriers in the semiconductor material into a positive and negative pair, which can thus cause a charge flow through the diode. By applying a high 226: 857: 852: 345:-based diodes operate in the infrared, typically at wavelengths up to about 14 μm, but require cooling to reduce dark currents. Very low excess noise can be achieved in this material system. 581: 104:
in 1952. However, study of avalanche breakdown, micro-plasma defects in silicon and germanium and the investigation of optical detection using p-n junctions predate this patent.
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Wu, W.; Hawkins, A. R.; Bowers, J. E. (1997). "Design of InGaAs/Si avalanche photodetectors for 400-GHZ gain-bandwidth product". In Park, Yoon-Soo; Ramaswamy, Ramu V (eds.).
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and bevelling (structural) techniques compared to traditional APDs, a it is possible to create designs where greater voltage can be applied (> 1500 V) before
541: 493: 253: 39: 374:, is basically proportional to the APD capacitance, while the parallel noise is associated with the fluctuations of the APD bulk and surface dark currents. 397: 135:
APD typically can sustain 100–200 V of reverse bias before breakdown, leading to a gain factor of around 100. However, by employing alternative
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Hyun, Kyung-Sook; Park, Chan-Yong (1997). "Breakdown characteristics in InP/InGaAs avalanche photodiode with p-i-n multiplication layer structure".
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will detect out to longer than 1.6 μm and has less multiplication noise than Ge. It is normally used as the absorption region of a
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as a substrate and as a multiplication layer. This material system is compatible with an absorption window of roughly 0.9–1.7 μm.
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solid-state photomultipliers, and APDs, that multiplies a signal, and is sometimes referred to as "gain noise". At a gain
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Tarof, L. E. (1991). "Planar InP/GaAs Avalanche Photodetector with Gain-Bandwidth Product in Excess of 100 GHz".
789: 562: 504:) is one of the main factors that limit, among other things, the best possible energy resolution obtainable. 265: 897: 85: 887: 706: 877: 288:
Silicon will detect in the visible and near infrared, with low multiplication noise (excess noise).
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APD applicability and usefulness depends on many parameters. Two of the larger factors are:
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From a functional standpoint, they can be regarded as the semiconductor analog of
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In principle, any semiconductor material can be used as a multiplication region:
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If very high gain is needed (10 to 10), detectors related to APDs called SPADs (
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Kagawa, S. (1981). "Fully ion-implanted p+-n germanium avalanche photodiodes".
465:{\displaystyle {\text{ENF}}=\kappa M+\left(2-{\frac {1}{M}}\right)(1-\kappa ),} 871: 321: 143:
is reached, and hence a greater operating gain (> 1000) is achieved.
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In general, the higher the reverse voltage, the higher the gain. A standard
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Pulsed Laserdiodes and Avalanche Photodiodes for Industrial Applications
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voltage, any photoelectric effect in the diode can be multiplied by the
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at the wavelengths appropriate to high-speed telecommunications using
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out to a wavelength of 1.7 μm, but has high multiplication noise.
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Among the various expressions for the APD multiplication factor (
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The avalanche photodiode was invented by Japanese engineer
615:. Vol. 22, Part D "Photodetectors". Academic Press. 73:
of incoming photons. Typical applications for APDs are
528: 481: 400: 241: 159: 150:), an instructive expression is given by the formula 124:. Thus, the APD can be thought of as applying a high 535: 487: 464: 377: 268:) can be used and operated with a reverse voltage 247: 220: 358:but have more complex designs such as p+-i-p-n+. 65:; unlike solar cells, they are not optimised for 869: 507: 335:–based diodes have been used for operation with 235:is the space-charge boundary for electrons, and 16:Highly sensitive semiconductor electronic device 788:Avalanche Photodiode – Low noise APD receivers 719: 625: 610: 862:Excelitas Technologies Photonic Detectors 532: 354:APDs are often not constructed as simple 205: 107: 823: 38:that convert light into electricity via 606: 604: 602: 259: 870: 793: 69:electricity from light but rather for 516: 361: 329:to speeds of at least 10 Gbit/s. 783:Avalanche photodiode – A User Guide 599: 128:effect to the induced photocurrent. 13: 777: 665:. Vol. 3006. pp. 36–47. 663:Optoelectronic Integrated Circuits 14: 909: 112:Photodiodes generally operate by 391:) and can often be expressed as 308:diode, most typically involving 27:) is a highly sensitive type of 726:Journal of Lightwave Technology 378:Gain noise, excess noise factor 324:, so only a few micrometres of 256:voltage to keep a stable gain. 760: 713: 654: 619: 574: 456: 444: 266:single-photon avalanche diodes 202: 196: 1: 613:Semiconductors and Semimetals 568: 563:Single-photon avalanche diode 508:Conversion noise, Fano factor 349: 279: 86:positron emission tomography 7: 546: 10: 914: 826:Journal of Applied Physics 611:Tsang, W. T., ed. (1985). 95: 50:, approaching the reverse 536:{\displaystyle \kappa \,} 720:Campbell, J. C. (2007). 853:Selecting the right APD 796:Applied Physics Letters 746:10.1109/JLT.2006.888481 488:{\displaystyle \kappa } 387:, it is denoted by ENF( 248:{\displaystyle \alpha } 31:, which in general are 537: 489: 466: 318:absorption coefficient 249: 222: 108:Principle of operation 538: 490: 467: 250: 223: 63:photomultiplier tubes 526: 479: 398: 260:Geiger mode counting 239: 157: 40:interband excitation 21:avalanche photodiode 898:Japanese inventions 838:1997JAP....81..974H 808:1981ApPhL..38..429K 770:. 25 November 2021. 738:2007JLwT...25..109C 671:1997SPIE.3006...38W 648:10.1049/el:19910023 640:1991ElL....27...34T 628:Electronics Letters 558:Avalanche breakdown 192: 56:avalanche breakdown 888:Particle detectors 533: 517:Further influences 485: 462: 368:quantum efficiency 362:Performance limits 245: 218: 178: 102:Jun-ichi Nishizawa 75:laser rangefinders 679:10.1117/12.264251 437: 404: 294:(Ge) will detect 274:breakdown voltage 213: 114:impact ionization 82:telecommunication 52:breakdown voltage 44:impact ionization 905: 849: 846:10.1063/1.364225 819: 772: 771: 764: 758: 757: 717: 711: 710: 704: 700: 698: 690: 658: 652: 651: 623: 617: 616: 608: 597: 596: 594: 593: 584:. Archived from 578: 542: 540: 539: 534: 494: 492: 491: 486: 471: 469: 468: 463: 443: 439: 438: 430: 405: 402: 316:exhibits a high 272:a typical APD's 254: 252: 251: 246: 227: 225: 224: 219: 214: 212: 191: 186: 167: 122:avalanche effect 90:particle physics 913: 912: 908: 907: 906: 904: 903: 902: 878:Optical devices 868: 867: 816:10.1063/1.92385 780: 778:Further reading 775: 766: 765: 761: 718: 714: 702: 701: 692: 691: 659: 655: 624: 620: 609: 600: 591: 589: 580: 579: 575: 571: 553:Avalanche diode 549: 527: 524: 523: 519: 510: 480: 477: 476: 429: 422: 418: 401: 399: 396: 395: 380: 364: 352: 333:Gallium-nitride 306:heterostructure 282: 262: 240: 237: 236: 187: 182: 171: 166: 158: 155: 154: 110: 98: 17: 12: 11: 5: 911: 901: 900: 895: 893:Photodetectors 890: 885: 883:Optical diodes 880: 866: 865: 860: 855: 850: 821: 802:(6): 429–431. 791: 786: 779: 776: 774: 773: 759: 732:(1): 109–121. 712: 703:|journal= 653: 618: 598: 572: 570: 567: 566: 565: 560: 555: 548: 545: 531: 518: 515: 509: 506: 484: 473: 472: 461: 458: 455: 452: 449: 446: 442: 436: 433: 428: 425: 421: 417: 414: 411: 408: 379: 376: 363: 360: 351: 348: 347: 346: 340: 330: 322:optical fibers 299: 289: 281: 278: 261: 258: 244: 229: 228: 217: 211: 208: 204: 201: 198: 195: 190: 185: 181: 177: 174: 170: 165: 162: 109: 106: 97: 94: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 910: 899: 896: 894: 891: 889: 886: 884: 881: 879: 876: 875: 873: 864: 861: 859: 856: 854: 851: 847: 843: 839: 835: 831: 827: 822: 817: 813: 809: 805: 801: 797: 792: 790: 787: 785: 782: 781: 769: 763: 755: 751: 747: 743: 739: 735: 731: 727: 723: 716: 708: 696: 688: 684: 680: 676: 672: 668: 664: 657: 649: 645: 641: 637: 633: 629: 622: 614: 607: 605: 603: 588:on 2018-07-21 587: 583: 577: 573: 564: 561: 559: 556: 554: 551: 550: 544: 529: 514: 505: 503: 500:), since ENF( 499: 482: 459: 453: 450: 447: 440: 434: 431: 426: 423: 419: 415: 412: 409: 406: 394: 393: 392: 390: 386: 375: 373: 369: 359: 357: 356:p-n junctions 344: 341: 338: 334: 331: 327: 323: 319: 315: 311: 307: 303: 300: 297: 293: 290: 287: 286: 285: 277: 275: 271: 267: 257: 242: 234: 215: 209: 206: 199: 193: 188: 183: 179: 175: 172: 168: 163: 160: 153: 152: 151: 149: 144: 142: 138: 134: 129: 127: 123: 119: 115: 105: 103: 93: 91: 87: 83: 80: 77:, long-range 76: 72: 68: 64: 59: 57: 53: 49: 45: 42:coupled with 41: 37: 34: 33:semiconductor 30: 26: 22: 829: 825: 799: 795: 762: 729: 725: 715: 662: 656: 634:(1): 34–36. 631: 627: 621: 612: 590:. 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Index

photodiode
semiconductor
diodes
interband excitation
impact ionization
reverse bias
breakdown voltage
avalanche breakdown
photomultiplier tubes
laser rangefinders
fiber-optic
telecommunication
positron emission tomography
particle physics
Jun-ichi Nishizawa
impact ionization
reverse bias
avalanche effect
gain
silicon
doping
breakdown
single-photon avalanche diodes
breakdown voltage
Germanium
infrared
InGaAs
heterostructure
InP
InGaAs

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