289 results about "Avalanche diode" patented technology

The invention discloses a double-comb non-cooperative target ranging system based on single photon detection, which is characterized in that an optical pulse output by a first optical frequency comb is divided into two paths of light through a first beam splitter, the first path of light is combined with one of two paths of light divided by a second optical frequency comb through a second beam splitter, and the combined light is transmitted to a first nonlinear frequency up-conversion module; a sum frequency light pulse in the wave band of 780 nm is generated and detected by a base avalanche diode photoelectric detector, and then a time-dependent single photon counter is triggered to start counting; the second path of light is output to a beam expanding collimator through the circulator and irradiates a target to be measured through spatial propagation, the beam expanding collimator collects diffuse reflection light and returns the diffuse reflection light to a third port of the circulator along the original path, and the diffuse reflection light and the other path of light split by the second optical frequency comb through the second beam splitter are combined and transmitted to a second nonlinear frequency up-conversion module; the up-conversion light after sum frequency conversion passes through the optical filter group and then is recorded by a stop end of the single photon counting module, multi-cycle accumulative statistics is carried out by the time correlation single photon counter, and finally a photon counting waveform is reconstructed and the flight time difference of the to-be-measured target is calculated by the computer.

The invention provides a single-photon avalanche diode and a single-photon detector, and relates to the technical field of semiconductor photoelectric detection, and the single-photon avalanche diode comprises a plurality of avalanche diode units. The avalanche diode units are sequentially stacked in the propagation direction of incident light to be detected. Each avalanche diode unit is provided with an electric field control module which is used for independently adjusting the bias electric field of each avalanche diode unit. In the propagation direction of the incident light, the avalanche diode unit of the next stage is used for absorbing the remaining photons which are not absorbed by the avalanche diode unit of the previous stage and generating carriers, so that avalanche current is formed. The light absorption wavelength ranges of adjacent avalanche diode units are at least partially overlapped. The single-photon avalanche diode solves the problem that the existing single-photon avalanche diode cannot balance high detection efficiency and low dark current, and achieves the purpose of improving the detection efficiency of a single-photon detector on the premise of not increasing the dark current.

The infrared-enhanced single-photon avalanche diode device comprises a P + photosensitive region located at the center of the surface of the device, a P-injection region surrounding the outer side of the P + photosensitive region, a deep N well surrounding the outer side of the P-injection region, and a P-type substrate surrounding the outer side of the deep N well; the P + photosensitive region, the P-injection region and the deep N well are flush with the upper surface of the P-type substrate; the P + photosensitive region is used as a photosensitive surface to absorb photons, and a metal anode is led out from the surface to form ohmic contact; a P-type charge layer is embedded in the P-injection region, an N-buried layer is embedded in the deep N well, the N-buried layer is located below the P-type charge layer, and the P-type charge layer and the N-buried layer are located at the central position of the device; and the N buried layer forms a main avalanche region with a deeper depth. According to the invention, the detection efficiency of the silicon-based single-photon avalanche diode in a near-infrared band can be effectively improved.

The invention relates to an Imaging sensor device in a stacked arrangement comprising:a pixel array tier comprising a plurality of pixel segments each having a plurality of pixels for photon detection each providing a digital pixel output;a processing tier comprising a number of processing cores each associated with one of the plurality of pixel segments to receive the pixel outputs of the pixels of the respective pixel segment, wherein the processing cores are each in bidirectional communication with one or more neighboring processing cores,wherein the processing cores are each configured to receive pixel outputs of the pixels of the associated pixel segments and to distribute processing of pixel outputs between the processing core and the at least one of the neighboring processing cores as neighboring processing cores.

An avalanche diode arrangement includes a three-dimensional integrated circuit including a stack with at least a top-tier and a bottom-tier. The avalanche diode arrangement also includes a breakdown voltage monitor circuit. The top-tier includes an array of avalanche diodes. The bottom-tier includes an array of integrated light sources, located below the top-tier. In a calibration mode of operation, the light sources are operable to emit light towards the avalanche diodes. The breakdown voltage monitor circuit is operable to adjust bias voltages of the avalanche diodes depending on trigger events induced by light emitted by the light sources during the calibration mode of operation.

A semiconductor device may include a plurality of single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) pixels. The semiconductor device may be a backside device that includes a sensor wafer stacked with an integrated passive component (IPC) wafer. The sensor wafer may include the SPAD pixels in an array across the sensor wafer. The IPC wafer may include active microcells that include quench resistors and dummy microcells that omit or disconnect the quench resistors. The sensor wafer may be bonded to the IPC wafer through hybrid bonding. The regions with active microcells may form active areas of the semiconductor device, while the regions with dummy microcells may form inactive areas. In this way, the active areas and inactive areas of the semiconductor device may be configurable by adjusting the active and dummy microcells of the IPC wafer.

The invention provides a quenching circuit of an avalanche diode and an imaging system.The quenching circuit of the avalanche diode comprises a quenching reset circuit, a time delay circuit, a comparison circuit and a detection control circuit, and the detection control circuit outputs a quenching signal in the output time period of a first level signal of a first clock signal; in the second level signal, namely the reset phase of the quenching circuit, if the avalanche diode is triggered by photons, the comparison circuit or the time delay circuit generates a corresponding first change signal or second change signal; when the detection control circuit detects the first change signal or the second change signal of the comparison circuit or the time-delay circuit, the detection control circuit can judge that the avalanche diode is triggered in the reset stage, at the moment, a quenching signal is output, the quenching reset circuit enters the quenching stage in advance, and the power consumption when the quenching circuit is triggered in the reset stage is reduced.

Disclosed are systems and methods that employ elastic fiber optic, time-of-flight sensors for long distance landslide monitoring with sub-mm precision. The time-of-flight (ToF) sensor is integrated in conjunction with a single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD). By coupling both the emission source and the detector with a stretchable optical fiber, our inventive systems and methods continuously monitor the length of the stretchable optical fiber by measuring a traveling time of an optical pulse traversing the stretchable optical fiber. A significant, detectable change in the length of the stretchable optical fiber – indicative of ground movement or deformation, triggers an alarm, providing an early warning for potential landslides. As such, systems and methods according to aspects of the present disclosure provide a reliable, sensitive, precise, cost-effective, real-time solution for landslide detection and monitoring – a problem that has plagued the art.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an avalanche diode, a detection unit configured to detect an avalanche current generated by avalanche multiplication in the avalanche diode, a switch disposed between the avalanche diode and the detection unit, and a reset unit configured to reset a node between the switch and the detection unit. The reset unit resets the node during a period in which the switch is in an off state.

A three-dimensional (3D) compressive sensing based eye movement tracking system using a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) sensor achieves high resolution depth measurements by using a low resolution SPAD sensor and actively coded illumination (e.g., two or three dimensional fringe patterns, random spots, random patterns, and / or overlay patterns) projected onto the surface of the eye. These patterns may be projected by a high speed illuminator, such as a digital micromirror device (DMD) or a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) projector, varying continuously at the same rate as the SPAD sensor acquisition rate. The processor may employ compressed sensing techniques to obtain high resolution images and depth information from the acquired images of the varying patterns.

The utility model provides a single-photon avalanche diode, a photoelectric detection device and electronic equipment. The single-photon avalanche diode comprises a substrate layer, a first doped region, a second doped region, an isolation region, a first electrode and a second electrode, the first doped region is located above the substrate layer, the second doped region is located above the first doped region, and the net doping type of the first doped region is opposite to that of the second doped region, so that a PN junction is formed between the first doped region and the second doped region, and depletion regions are formed on two sides of an interface of the PN junction; the isolation region is attached to the outer sides of the first doped region and the second doped region in the horizontal direction, and is constructed to at least cover the region between the upper interface of the second doped region and the lower interface of the first doped region in the height direction; the first electrode and the second electrode are configured to apply a reverse bias voltage to the PN junction to form an avalanche region in the depletion region. According to the single-photon avalanche diode, the size of a middle strong longitudinal electric field region cannot be affected when the overall size is reduced.

An SPAD with a mesa structure has an etch stop layer that allows a first high-precision etch process that forms substrate contact plugs around the mesa to be combined with a second high-precision etch process that forms a metal grid. The etch stop layer is provided with a first elevation adjacent the substrate contact plugs and a second elevation adjacent the metal grid. The second elevation is greater than the first elevation. In a process, holes for the substrate contact plugs and trenches for the metal grid are etched down to the etch stop layer. After a break-through etch, a third etch process deepens the holes and the trenches to their final depths. The metal grid may land on a second etch stop layer that is absent from an area around the substrate contact plugs. This structure and process provide lower cost SPADs with mesa structures.

Single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) and image sensing devices are disclosed. In an embodiment, a single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) includes: an impurity junction region configured to include a plurality of depletion regions, wherein, each depletion region is an junction formed between a first doped region doped with impurities of a first conductivity type and a second doped region doped with impurities of a second conductivity type; an output node formed above the impurity junction region and in contact with one surface of a substrate; a guard-ring region formed to surround the impurity junction region; and a biasing node spaced apart from the guard-ring region and disposed at one side of the guard-ring region.

A photoelectric conversion apparatus includes an avalanche diode disposed in a semiconductor layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The avalanche diode includes a first semiconductor region of first conductivity type disposed at a first depth and a second semiconductor region of second conductivity type disposed at a second depth deeper than the first depth with respect to the second surface. The photoelectric conversion apparatus further includes a first wiring portion electrically connected to the first semiconductor region; and a second wiring portion electrically connected to the second semiconductor region, An oxide film and a protective film stacked on the oxide film are disposed on the second surface of the semiconductor layer. There is a point at which dsio>(εsio / εprot)×dprot / 2 is satisfied, where dsio is a thickness of the oxide film, dprot is a thickness of the protective film, εsio is a relative permittivity of the oxide film, and εprot is a relative permittivity of the protective film. In a plan view from the second surface, the second wiring portion overlaps with at least a part of the second semiconductor region and does not overlap with the first semiconductor region.

The application relates to an avalanche diode single-photon detector and a preparation method thereof, in particular to a quantum dot-vertical linear avalanche diode single-photon detector and a preparation method thereof, and solves the problems of low detection efficiency of the existing single-photon detector and high preparation difficulty, high cost and limited effect of the existing method. + The detector comprises a detector N + substrate, a back electrode grown on the lower surface thereof, a plurality of quantum dot-vertical linear units arranged at intervals on the upper surface thereof, a passivation layer and a front electrode; the quantum dot-vertical linear unit comprises a semiconductor vertical linear structure, a porous nanomaterial layer and a quantum dot material layer; the semiconductor vertical linear structure is grown on the upper surface of the detector N + substrate; the porous nanomaterial layer covers the semiconductor vertical linear structure; the quantum dot material layer covers the porous nanomaterial layer; the passivation layer is filled between the quantum dot-vertical linear units; and the front electrode is grown on the part of the quantum dot-vertical linear unit extending out of the passivation layer.

The invention relates to a lighting circuit having a light sensor configured to measure a delay of reception of light that is being modulated based on a binary code after a reflection, said binary code being repeated for a predetermined time period T. The light sensor comprises: - a single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) circuit (320) comprising a SPAD polarized by a voltage modulated by the code delayed of time k*ΔT, - an integrator (330) connected to the SPAD circuit (320) for providing an integration value of the conduction time of a SPAD (321) for each time the code is completely received.

A time of flight range detection device includes a laser configured to transmit an optical pulse into an image scene, a return single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) array, a reference SPAD array, a range detection circuit coupled to the return SPAD array and the reference SPAD array, and a laser driver circuit. The range detection circuit in operation determines a distance to an object based on signals from the return SPAD array and the reference SPAD array. The laser driver circuit in operation varies an output power level of the laser in response to the determined distance to the object.

To provide a technique of photon detection efficiency (PDE) modulation with multi-junction single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) pixels.SOLUTION: A sensing device includes an array of sensing elements and a bias control circuit. Each sensing element of the array of sensing elements includes (i) a photosensitive material, which is configured to generate photoelectrons in response to incident optical radiation, and (ii) a plurality of avalanche diodes, which are disposed at different, respective locations within the sensing element in electrical communication with the photosensitive material and are configured, when reverse-biased, to generate electrical avalanches in response to the generated photoelectrons. The bias control circuit is configured to selectively set respective reverse-bias voltage levels of the avalanche diodes within each sensing element to different, respective values.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

This invention discloses a superlattice multiplication layer avalanche diode and its fabrication method. The single-photon avalanche diode includes a graphene transparent electrode and, from bottom to top, an InP substrate, an n-type buffer layer, a superlattice absorption region, a p-type charge layer, a superlattice gradient region, a superlattice multiplication region, a p-type contact layer with a p-type contact window, and a passivation layer. The graphene transparent electrode is grown on the passivation layer and the p-type contact window, forming an ohmic contact with the p-type contact region. Magnetic metal nanoparticles that generate a local magnetic field are embedded in the superlattice multiplication region. The magnetic metal nanoparticles are uniformly distributed in-plane within a depth range of 5-400 nm from the interface in the light-gathering direction of the superlattice multiplication region. This invention combines the internal bandgap optimization of the superlattice with the external limiting pump capability of graphene to produce a synergistic effect, providing a single-photon avalanche diode with low dark count rate, weak afterpulse effect, high detection efficiency, and the ability to operate at relatively high temperatures.

The present application relates to the field of quantum computing, in particular to a kind of quantum bit computer, including visible light signal generator, visible light detector, quantum processor, signal receiver and signal processing end;The visible light signal generator is used to generate corresponding visible light signal according to control instruction, and the visible light signal is sent to the visible light detector;The visible light detector is used to generate corresponding processor control microwave signal according to the visible light signal received;The signal receiver is used to receive the calculation feedback microwave signal of the quantum processor, and the calculation feedback microwave signal is sent to signal processing end.The present application reduces the heat conduction from room temperature zone to low temperature zone, increases the available power redundancy of low temperature zone device, while the frequency of visible light is higher, and the modulation capacity is stronger, cooperate with only visible light sensitive silicon-based photo avalanche diode, can improve the signal-to-noise ratio of information transmitted to the quantum processor.

A distance measuring device includes a light emitting unit that emits irradiation light, a light receiving unit having a light receiving surface for receiving incident light including reflected light of the irradiation light, and in which one pixel is composed of a plurality of single-photon avalanche diodes, an aperture unit having an opening through which the incident light incident on the light receiving unit passes and limiting the amount of the incident light passing through, and an optical system having different refractive powers in a longitudinal direction of the opening and a lateral direction of the opening, the optical system focusing the incident light on the light receiving surface in the longitudinal direction and focusing the incident light on the opening in the lateral direction.

Provided is a single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) structure. More particularly, provided is a SPAD structure having an isolation structure for electrical and / or physical separation between a pixel area and a logic area.

This invention discloses a single-photon avalanche diode and a photodetector. The single-photon avalanche diode includes a substrate, a first p-type epitaxial layer, an n-type buried layer, a p-type buried layer, a second p-type epitaxial layer, an anode contact region, and a cathode contact region. The first p-type epitaxial layer is located on one side of the substrate; the n-type buried layer and the p-type buried layer are located on the side of the first p-type epitaxial layer away from the substrate, and the n-type buried layer and the p-type buried layer form an abrupt junction; the second p-type epitaxial layer is located on the side of the p-type buried layer away from the n-type buried layer; the anode contact region is located on the side of the second p-type epitaxial layer away from the p-type buried layer and is coupled to the p-type buried layer; the cathode contact region is located on the side of the n-type buried layer away from the substrate and is coupled to the n-type buried layer. The technical solution of this invention can improve the photodetector capability of the device.

The invention discloses an insulation defect detection method based on a quantum color center technology, and belongs to the field of state monitoring. Comprising the steps that a quantum sensing module and an excitation and signal acquisition module are adopted to detect the insulation defect of the electrical equipment, the quantum sensing module adopts a silicon carbide color center chip, a double-vacancy defect is prepared through an ion implantation and annealing process, a substrate material adopts AlN ceramic, and a protective layer adopts an aerogel composite structure; a DPSS laser is adopted as a light source of a laser excitation chain of an excitation and signal acquisition module, and a single-photon avalanche diode array is adopted as a detector of a fluorescence acquisition chain; a signal processing flow is based on silicon carbide double-vacancy color center fluorescence lifetime attenuation characteristics, partial discharge detection is carried out, dynamic change and frequency spectrum characteristics of a color center fluorescence lifetime tau value are analyzed, a multi-physics field decoupling algorithm combining time domain fluorescence lifetime analysis, frequency domain vibration spectrum extraction and a machine learning classification model is adopted, and a silicon carbide double-vacancy color center fluorescence lifetime tau value is analyzed. And high-precision identification and positioning of discharge types such as corona discharge and creeping discharge are realized.

The application discloses a kind of single-photon TOF image sensors for laser radar, including reconfigurable pixel array, dynamic reconfigurable circuit, real-time feedback control system;Reconfigurable pixel array is constructed based on field programmable array FPGA technology, each pixel unit is integrated with configurable single-photon avalanche diode SPAD, amplifier, integrator and control logic circuit, by programming to the internal logic of FPGA, change pixel operating mode and parameter, and pixel unit can be configured as unit with specific function, pixel for edge detection and motion detection, in the application, flexible reconfigurable pixel configuration: with field programmable array FPGA technology, the photosensitive area of pixel unit, integration time and gain and other key parameters can be flexibly adjusted according to actual demand, pixel unit can also be configured as unit with specific function such as edge detection, motion detection.

The present disclosure relates to an electronic device and an imaging element configured so as to be able to avoid further degradation in performance. The imaging element is provided with, for each of a plurality of pixels, a single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) that generates avalanche multiplication as a result of the supply of a reverse bias voltage, the imaging element further comprising: a storage unit into which address information indicating an address of a defective pixel has been written; a digital processing circuit that outputs a pixel selection signal, for selecting the defective pixel, in accordance with the address information read from the storage unit; and a retention unit that is provided for each pixel and retains defect information indicating whether the pixel is a defective pixel. For each pixel, the retention unit provided in a pixel selected by the pixel selection signal output from the digital processing circuit retains defect information indicating that the pixel is defective, and outputs a control signal for blocking supply of the reverse bias voltage to the SPAD. The present technology can be applied to, for example, an imaging element in which a SPAD is used.

A semiconductor structure includes a first well in a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of fin-like doped regions over and coupled to the first well in the semiconductor substrate, and a second well over the first well and the plurality of fin-like doped regions in the semiconductor substrate. The first well and the plurality of fin-like doped regions comprise a first conductivity type, and the second well comprises a second conductivity type complementary to the first conductivity type. A first interface is formed between the second well and the first well, a second interface is formed between the second well and the plurality of fin-like doped regions, and each of the first interface and the second interface has a non-planar configuration.

An electronic circuit is disclosed. The electronic circuit comprises first and second circuit nodes (11, 12); a bipolar transistor (2) having an emitter region (21) connected to one of the first and second circuit nodes (11, 12), a collector region (22) connected to another of the first and second circuit nodes (11, 12), and a base region (23); a trigger element (3) connected between the emitter region (21) and the base region (23) of the bipolar transistor (2); and an avalanche diode (4). The bipolar transistor (2) and the avalanche diode (3) are integrated in a semiconductor body (100), wherein the emitter region (21) and the collector region (23) are spaced apart from one another in a lateral direction of the semiconductor body (100), and wherein the base region (23) and the collector region (22) of the bipolar transistor (2) simultaneously form the avalanche diode (4).

This application provides a key parameter testing system and method for fiber-optic single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs). The system uses a testing module to drive multiple SPADs under test, generates laser trigger signals based on parameter testing requests, and acquires pulse parameters for each SPAD under test under different testing modes with and without light source illumination. A laser generation module generates an initial pulse signal based on the laser trigger signal; a laser adjustment and transmission module adjusts the light attenuation value of the initial pulse laser and separates it into multiple test light sources with equal laser power; a control module monitors the laser power of the laser generation module and configures the laser adjustment parameters of the laser adjustment and transmission module; and the system determines the key parameters of each SPAD under test based on the pulse parameters. The system provided in this application can quickly detect the key parameters of multiple SPADs while ensuring detection accuracy, and the parameter testing process is simple and intuitive.

The embodiment of the invention discloses an avalanche pulse signal extraction circuit and a photoelectric detector. The extraction circuit comprises an actual photoelectric receiving module, a first reference photoelectric receiving module, a second reference photoelectric receiving module, a first differential amplification module and a second differential amplification module, one end of the actual photoelectric receiving module and one end of the first reference photoelectric receiving module are electrically connected with two input ends of the first differential amplification module respectively; the output end of the first differential amplification module and one end of the second reference photoelectric receiving module are electrically connected with two input ends of the second differential amplification module respectively; and the other end of the actual photoelectric receiving module, the other end of the first reference photoelectric receiving module and the other end of the second reference photoelectric receiving module respectively receive power supply signals. According to the circuit, sunlight noise caused by external ambient light is effectively filtered, and bottom noise caused by electrical characteristics of an avalanche diode is inhibited.