Towards picosecond array detector for single-photon time-resolved multispot parallel analysis

Abstract

Over the past few years there has been a growing interest in monolithic arrays of single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) for parallel detection of faint ultrafast optical signals. SPADs implemented in CMOS-compatible 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 photomultiplier tubes and they are able to provide very high acquisition speeds. The development of fully-parallel multichannel systems is a challenge both for the detector (with new problems like optical and electrical crosstalk, isolation elements size reduction and the need for higher yields) and for the electronics. The development of a parallel detector must be accompanied by that of the time-to-amplitude converters and analysis electronics necessary in time-correlated single photon counting applications. In this paper we present the fundamental building blocks necessary to develop a parallel picosecond array detector: a new high-performance SPAD detector, compatible with the design of multi-detector systems with a large number of channels, and a new totally integrated system for time-to-amplitude conversion, to allow the simple integration of several channels on a single chip.