The minimization of the dead time necessary for the operation of a single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) plays a crucial role in many demanding single-photon applications. Among these, it is worth mentioning the implementation of airborne light detection and ranging systems exploited to scan the terrain topography through semiporous obscurations. In this letter, we present the development and the experimental characterization of a fully integrated active quenching circuit able to drive custom-technology SPADs with a dead time as low as 6.2 ns, corresponding to a maximum photon count rate of more than 160 Mcps. Thanks to the use of a high-voltage CMOS fabrication technology, the circuit is able to operate also SPADs that require an excess bias of few tens of Volts, like the recently developed red-enhanced SPAD up to a maximum photon count rate of 100 Mcps.

Fully Integrated Active Quenching Circuit Driving Custom-Technology SPADs With 6.2-ns Dead Time

Francesco Ceccarelli;Giulia Acconcia;Angelo Gulinatti;Massimo Ghioni;Ivan Rech
2019-01-01

Abstract

The minimization of the dead time necessary for the operation of a single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) plays a crucial role in many demanding single-photon applications. Among these, it is worth mentioning the implementation of airborne light detection and ranging systems exploited to scan the terrain topography through semiporous obscurations. In this letter, we present the development and the experimental characterization of a fully integrated active quenching circuit able to drive custom-technology SPADs with a dead time as low as 6.2 ns, corresponding to a maximum photon count rate of more than 160 Mcps. Thanks to the use of a high-voltage CMOS fabrication technology, the circuit is able to operate also SPADs that require an excess bias of few tens of Volts, like the recently developed red-enhanced SPAD up to a maximum photon count rate of 100 Mcps.
2019
sezele
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
2019_PTL_Ceccarelli_FullyIntegratedAqc6p2DeadTime.pdf

Accesso riservato

Descrizione: Paper
: Publisher’s version
Dimensione 600.41 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
600.41 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri
11311-1120125_Gulinatti.pdf

accesso aperto

: Post-Print (DRAFT o Author’s Accepted Manuscript-AAM)
Dimensione 672.87 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
672.87 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11311/1120125
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 48
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 34
social impact