High performance SPAD array detectors for parallel photon timing applications

Over the past few years there has been a growing interest in monolithic arrays of single photon avalanche diodes (SPAD) for spatially resolved detection of faint ultrafast optical signals. SPADs implemented in planar technologies offer the typical advantages of microelectronic devices (small size, ruggedness, low voltage, low power, etc.). Furthermore, they have inherently higher photon detection efficiency than PMTs and are able to provide, beside sensitivities down to single-photons, very high acquisition speeds. Although currently available silicon devices reached remarkable performance, nevertheless further improvements are needed in order to meet the requirements of most demanding timeresolved techniques, it is necessary to face problems like electrical crosstalk between adjacent pixel, high detection efficiency in the red spectral range, large area, low dark counting rate. Moreover to develop array with high number of pixel became more and more important to develop all the TCSPC electronics with picosecond resolution to create a new family of detection system for TCSPC applications. Recent advances in our research on single photon time resolved array is here presented.