Systems and methods for imaging using single photon avalanche diodes

• US 9,831,283 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2014
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Original Assignee: Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York (Columbia University)
• Inventors: Shepard, Kenneth L., Field, Ryan Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Thanh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wyatt, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US14/247,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20140217264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 2502081, 2502141, 356 501, 257438
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6441 with two or more labels
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/64 Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6408 with measurement of decay time, time resolved fluorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6458 Fluorescence microscopy fluorescence microscopes per se G02B21/0076 and G02B21/16
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/14643 Photodiode arrays; MOS imagers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/107 the potential barrier working in avalanche mode, e.g. avalanche photodiodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1075 in which the active layers, e.g. absorption or multiplication layers, form an heterostructure, e.g. SAM structure

Abstract

Single-photon avalanche diode includes a central junction having a central p+ area and a deep-n well in contact with the central p+ area, a p-type guard ring disposed between the central junction and the deep-n well, and a shallow trench isolation separated from the central p+ area. Imaging apparatus includes a plurality of pixels, each pixel comprising a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor-implemented single photon avalanche device and one or more signal converters electrically coupled thereto and configured to detect changes in output therefrom.

Claims

1. A single-photon avalanche diode comprising:

a central junction including a central p+ area and a deep-n well in contact with the central p+ area;

a p-type guard ring disposed between the central junction and the deep-n well, at least partially in contact with the central junction; and

a plurality of shallow trench isolations separated from the central p+ area, wherein the p-type guard ring is in contact with a single shallow trench isolation from the plurality of shallow trench isolations proximal to the central junction.

2. The single-photon avalanche diode of claim 1, further comprising a photosensitive area disposed proximate to the surface of the diode.

3. The single-photon avalanche diode of claim 2, wherein the photosensitive area has an octagonal shape.

4. The single-photon avalanche diode of claim 1, wherein the guard ring is configured to substantially surround the p+ area.

5. The single-photon avalanche diode of claim 1, wherein the guard ring is disposed between the p+ area and the shallow trench isolation.

6. The single-photon avalanche diode of claim 5, wherein the guard ring is adjacent the p+ area and the shallow trench isolation.

7. An imaging apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of pixels, each pixel comprising;

a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor-implemented single photon avalanche diode, the single photon avalanche diode comprising

a central junction including a central p+ area and a deep-n well in contact with the central p+ area,

a p-type guard ring disposed between the central junction and the deep-n well, at least partially in contact with the central junction, and

a plurality of shallow trench isolations separated from the central p+ area, wherein the p-type guard ring is in contact with a single shallow trench isolation from the plurality of shallow trench isolations proximal to the central junction; and

one or more signal converters electrically coupled to the diode and configured to detect changes in output therefrom.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the one or more signal converters comprise delay-locked loop-based time-to-digital converters.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, each single photon avalanche diode further comprising a quenching circuit and a resetting circuit connected in series with the single photon avalanche diode.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the quenching circuit further comprises a resistive component.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the resistive component further comprises a variable resistor.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the resistive component further comprises a resistor.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the single photon avalanche diodes are arranged in an array.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the array further comprises a two-dimensional 64 * 64 array.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the array further comprises a two-dimensional 128 * 128 array.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the signal converters are further coupled to a processor configured to compress data.

17. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is configured to detect a signal categorized as a non-homogeneous Poisson process.

18. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a C-mount adapter disposed proximate to the surface of the apparatus, enabling it to connect to a microscope.

19. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the resetting circuit further comprises an active resetting circuit.

20. A laser scanning microscopy system comprising the imaging apparatus of claim 7.

21. A two-photon microscopy system comprising the imaging apparatus of claim 7.

22. An endoscopic imaging system comprising the imaging apparatus of claim 7.