Apparatus and method for allowing avalanche photodiode based single-photon detectors to be driven by the same electrical circuit in gated and in free-running modes

• US 9,246,041 B1
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ID Quantique SA (SK Telecom Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ID Quantique SA (SK Telecom Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Clausen, Bernard, Monat, Laurent, Rochas, Alexis
• Primary Examiner(s): Legasse, Jr., Francis M
• Application Number:
  US13/792,418
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/248 Silicon photomultipliers [SiPM], e.g. an avalanche photodiode [APD] array on a common Si substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/74 Thyristor-type devices, e.g. having four-zone regenerative action two-terminal thyristors H01L29/87
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/107 the potential barrier working in avalanche mode, e.g. avalanche photodiodes
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/0416 by measures taken in the output circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/74 by the use, as active elements, of diodes by the use of more than one type of semiconductor device H03K17/567; by the use of tunnel diodes H03K17/58; by the use of negative resistance diodes H03K17/70

Abstract

An apparatus and method for allowing avalanche photodiode based single-photon detectors to be driven by the same electrical circuit in gated and in free-running modes is proposed. The high-performance working of all the running modes relies on the capability of tuning the rise-time value of the electrical pulse driver which activates the avalanche photodiode in Geiger mode.

Claims

1. A single-photon detection apparatus containing a pulse driver, used for setting the avalanche photodiode in Geiger mode, having a tunable rise-time wherein said tunable rise-time pulse driver enables high-performance working of the said single-photon detection in both operating modes:

gated and free-running modes.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the said rise-time is tuned by changing the slew rate of the output signal of the said pulse driver.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the said slew rate tunability is implemented by varying the output impedance of the said pulse driver.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the said pulse driver contains at least one chip or ASIC whose slew rate can be tuned.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the said rise-time is tuned by changing the parameters of the stair-step ramp of the output signal of the said pulse driver.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the said stair-step ramp is implemented with several pulse drivers whose outputs are delayed ones compare to the others and then summed.

8. A method for enabling the high-performance driving of avalanche photodiode based single photon detector in both gated and free-running modes with a single electronic driver, the method using the apparatus of claim 1 and comprising the steps of:

choosing the optimal rise-time value according to the settings chosen by the user,

setting of the pulse driver to the chosen rise-time value.

7. The apparatus of claims wherein the said pulse driver contains at least one chip or ASIC which enables the generation of a tunable stair-step ramp.