0.16 μm BCD single-photon avalanche diode with 30 ps timing jitter, high detection efficiency and low noise

CMOS SPADs are nowadays an established imaging technology for applications requiring single-photon sensitivity in a compact form-factor (e.g. three-dimensional LIDAR imaging and fluorescence lifetime FLIM microscopy). However, we aimed at further enhance overall SPAD performances, by exploiting smart power technologies, such as the BCD (Bipolar-CMOS-DMOS) one. We achieved the present state-of-the-art SPADs fabricated in the 0.16 mu m BCD technology by STMicroelectronics, attaining >60% photon detection efficiency at 500 nm, dark count rate density <0.2 cps/mu m(2), and less than 30 ps FWHM timing jitter.