InAlAs-InGaAs based avalanche photodiodes for next generation eye-safe optical receivers

Clark, William R.; Vaccaro, K.; Waters, William D.

doi:10.1117/12.778917

Cited by 21 publications

(20 citation statements)

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“…Since atmospheric turbulence in maritime environments is best suited for free space laser communications when wind speeds are low and the difference between air and water temperature is minimal, it is important to note the conditions experienced on both days. [3][4][5] On April 29 th , wind speeds were sustained at 9 m/s with a 4.5ºC difference in air/water temperatures, conditions that produced moderate amounts of turbulence. The plot in Figure 6 shows the pronounced atmospheric effect on each channel of the array during this day of testing.…”

Section: Field Testingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1,2 A large-area InGaAs 2×2 APD array with k-factors of approximately 0.1 was developed by Optogration, Inc. and used for the purposes of this experiment. 3 Each square pixel in the array has an active area of 100×100µm with an optical fill factor of approximately 75% and bandwidths rated up to 2.5 Gbps. Since the total area of the array consists of four individually controlled elements, we obtain a large area device without sacrificing sensitivity and bandwidth.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Large area adaptive avalanche photodetector arrays for free-space optical communication

Ferraro

Freeman²,

Mahon

et al. 2008

SPIE Proceedings

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In free space optical communication systems, atmospheric turbulence makes it very difficult to focus transmitted laser power onto small, low capacitance photodetectors. The obvious challenge, therefore, is to take advantage of larger area photodiodes without sacrificing a great deal of bandwidth and sensitivity in the process. In this work, we report on a high sensitivity, high speed adaptive avalanche photodetector array for free-space optical communication. The receiver consists of a 2×2 InGaAs APD array with each 100um element in the array having its own dedicated trans-impedance amplifier and buffering stage. The corresponding voltage outputs for each element are processed through a four channel digital, fast switching and summation circuit. The resulting signal is selectable to be either that of the element in the array with the greatest signal response or the sum of multiple or all channels. Design requirements, laboratory sensitivity measurements, and field testing results are presented.

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Section: Field Testingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Large area adaptive avalanche photodetector arrays for free-space optical communication

Ferraro

Freeman²,

Mahon

et al. 2008

SPIE Proceedings

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“…The sub-Geiger InGaAs single photon detectors reported here are more directly comparable to those of Clark et al, which were assembled from an InGaAs APD with a thin bulk InAlAs multiplier and a 580-MHz RTIA. 3 A maximum single photon detection rate of 14%, an associated dark count rate (DCR) of 850 kHz, and MCR of about 50 MHz were reported for those receivers. At 70%, the single photon detection rate of the multi-stage receiver reported here is significantly higher, but the 55-MHz DCR is also higher, due to the elevated amplifier noise level of the 2-GHz RTIA used in our receiver (250 nA RMS versus 45 nA RMS for the 580-MHz TIA).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

High-speed photon counting with linear-mode APD receivers

Williams

Compton

Huntington

2009

Advanced Photon Counting Techniques III

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HgCdTe and InGaAs linear-mode avalanche photodiodes (APDs) were fabricated and tested for properties suitable for high-speed photon counting when integrated with commercially available 2-GHz resistive transimpedance amplifiers (RTIAs). The 2.71-μm, 100-μm-diameter HgCdTe APDs were fabricated in using an n + /p vertical carrier transport architecture designed to reduce carrier drift time and facilitate high-speed operation. At 215 K, a gain of 100 was measured with an excess noise of 2.5. The InGaAs/InAlAs APDs were fabricated using two absorber alloy compositions, one optimized for 950-1300 nm operation and the other for 950-1550 nm operation. Both were fabricated using multiple, cascaded gain regions that allowed for high gain and low avalanche-induced shot noise. Gain exceeding 6000 was observed, and the excess noise factor was measured to be below 20 at a gain of M = 1200 (effective k ~ 0.03). The InGaAs/InAlAs APDs were integrated into receivers consisting of a multi-gain-stage APD coupled to a commercial 2-GHz RTIA and were operated as thresholded photon counters. At a linear gain of M = 1800, a single photon detection efficiency greater than 85% was measured at a maximum count rate of 70 MHz; at a linear gain of M = 1200, single photon detection efficiencies greater than 20% were measured at maximum count rates of 80 MHz. At the temperature tested, 185 K, the receiver's dark count rate (DCR) is dominated by electronic amplifier noise from the TIA for low threshold settings, and by dark counts from the APD at high threshold settings.

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“…Recent fabrication and heterostructure design advances have led to significant improvements in APD excess noise [1,2]. APD gain can be used to overcome thermal noise in electronic amplifiers, but unlike shot-noise-limited PIN photodiodes, APDs have an additional noise contribution inherent to the multiplication process.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

InAlAs/InGaAs avalanche photodiode arrays for free space optical communication

Ferraro

Clark²,

Rabinovich

et al. 2015

Appl. Opt.

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In free space optical communication, photodetectors serve not only as communications receivers but also as position sensitive detectors (PSDs) for pointing, tracking, and stabilization. Typically, two separate detectors are utilized to perform these tasks, but recent advances in the fabrication and development of large-area, low-noise avalanche photodiode (APD) arrays have enabled these devices to be used both as PSDs and as communications receivers. This combined functionality allows for more flexibility and simplicity in optical system design without sacrificing the sensitivity and bandwidth performance of smaller, single-element data receivers. This work presents the development of APD arrays rated for bandwidths beyond 1 GHz with measured carrier ionization ratios of approximately 0.2 at moderate APD gains. We discuss the fabrication and characterization of three types of APD arrays along with their performance as high-speed photodetectors.

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InAlAs-InGaAs based avalanche photodiodes for next generation eye-safe optical receivers

Cited by 21 publications

References 0 publications

Large area adaptive avalanche photodetector arrays for free-space optical communication

Large area adaptive avalanche photodetector arrays for free-space optical communication

High-speed photon counting with linear-mode APD receivers

InAlAs/InGaAs avalanche photodiode arrays for free space optical communication

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