High-Efficiency Ge-on-Si SPADs for Short-Wave Infrared

High efficiency, Ge-on-Si single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detectors operating in the short-wave infrared region (1310 nm - 1550 nm) at near room temperature have the potential to be used for numerous emerging applications, including quantum communications, quantum imaging and eye-safe LIDAR applications. In this work, planar geometry Ge-on-Si SPAD designs demonstrate a significant decrease in the dark count rate compared to previous generations of Ge-on-Si detectors. 100 μm diameter microfabricated SPADs demonstrate record low NEPs of 2.2×10-16 WHz-1/2, and single-photon detection efficiencies of 18% for 1310 nm at 78 K. The devices demonstrate single-photon detection at temperatures up to 175 K

High performance planar germanium-on-silicon single-photon avalanche diode detectors

Single-photon detection has emerged as a method of choice for ultra-sensitive measurements of picosecond optical transients. In the short-wave infrared, semiconductor-based single-photon detectors typically exhibit relatively poor performance compared with all-silicon devices operating at shorter wavelengths. Here we show a new generation of planar germanium-on-silicon (Ge-on-Si) single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detectors for short-wave infrared operation. This planar geometry has enabled a significant step-change in performance, demonstrating single-photon detection efficiency of 38% at 125 K at a wavelength of 1310 nm, and a fifty-fold improvement in noise equivalent power compared with optimised mesa geometry SPADs. In comparison with InGaAs/InP devices, Ge-on-Si SPADs exhibit considerably reduced afterpulsing effects. These results, utilising the inexpensive Ge-on-Si platform, provide a route towards large arrays of efficient, high data rate Ge-on-Si SPADs for use in eye-safe automotive LIDAR and future quantum technology applications

Geiger Mode Ge-on-Si Single-Photon Avalanche Diode Detectors

High efficiency single photon avalanche detectors (SPADs) based on the Ge-on-Si material system are a promising emerging technology for high sensitivity optical detection in the short-wave infrared region. Here we demonstrate record single photon detection efficiencies of 38% at 1310nm with an operating temperature of 125K. This was achieved using a novel planar geometry which allowed us to achieve an NEPs of 3×10 −16 WHz −1/2 and reduced afterpulsing when compared to InGaAs/InP based SPADs operated in nominally identical conditions

Geiger Mode Ge-on-Si Single-Photon Avalanche Diode Detectors

Ge-on-Si single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detectors have demonstrated a high single-photon detection efficiency of 38% at a wavelength of 1310 nm when operated at a temperature of 125 K. These devices exhibit reduced afterpulsing compared to InGaAs/InP SPADs under nominally identical operating conditions

Effect of Passivation on Selectively Grown Sub-µm Ge-on-Si Single Photon Avalanche Diode Detectors

Ge-on-SOI (silicon-on-insulator) single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) have been fabricated with exposed sidewalls allowing variation of passivation techniques. Reduced dark currents and density of surface states are demonstrated with thermal oxide passivation, demonstrating the benefit of optimal passivation of low aspect ratio selectively grown Ge

3D LIDAR imaging using Ge-on-Si single–photon avalanche diode detectors

We present a scanning light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system incorporating an individual Ge-on-Si single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detector for depth and intensity imaging in the short-wavelength infrared region. The time-correlated single-photon counting technique was used to determine the return photon time-of-flight for target depth information. In laboratory demonstrations, depth and intensity reconstructions were made of targets at short range, using advanced image processing algorithms tailored for the analysis of single–photon time-of-flight data. These laboratory measurements were used to predict the performance of the single-photon LIDAR system at longer ranges, providing estimations that sub-milliwatt average power levels would be required for kilometer range depth measurements

High Efficiency Planar Geometry Germanium-on-silicon Single-photon Avalanche Diode Detectors

This paper presents the performance of 26 μm and 50 μm diameter planar Ge-on-Si single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detectors. The addition of germanium in these detectors extends the spectral range into the short-wave infrared (SWIR) region, beyond the capability of already well-established Si SPAD devices. There are several advantages for extending the spectral range into the SWIR region including: reduced eye-safety laser threshold, greater attainable ranges, and increased depth resolution in range finding applications, in addition to the enhanced capability to image through obscurants such as fog and smoke. The time correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC) technique has been utilized to observe record low dark count rates, below 100 kHz at a temperature of 125 K for up to a 6.6 % excess bias, for the 26 μm diameter devices. Under identical experimental conditions, in terms of excess bias and temperature, the 50 μm diameter device consistently demonstrates dark count rates a factor of 4 times greater than 26 μm diameter devices, indicating that the dark count rate is proportional to the device volume. Single-photon detection efficiencies of up to ~ 29 % were measured at a wavelength of 1310 nm at 125 K. Noise equivalent powers (NEP) down to 9.8 × 10-17 WHz-1/2 and jitters < 160 ps are obtainable, both significantly lower than previous 100 μm diameter planar geometry devices, demonstrating the potential of these devices for highly sensitive and high-speed imaging in the SWIR

Variation of Sidewall Passivation on Sub-um Selectively Grown Ge-on-Si Devices Towards Single Photon Avalanche Detectors

Developing single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) at short-wave infrared (SWIR) wavelengths beyond 1000 nm has attracted interest lately. Numerous quantum technology applications such as light detection and ranging (LIDAR), imaging through obscurants and quantum communications require sensitivity in this region. In quantum communications, operation at the telecoms wavelengths of 1310 nm and 1550 nm is essential. Ge-on-Si SPADs offer potential for lower afterpulsing and higher single photon detection efficiencies in the SWIR in comparison with InGaAs/InP SPADs, at a lower cost due to Si foundry compatibility. In this study, Ge-on-Si devices are fabricated on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates, with a separate absorption, charge and multiplication layer (SACM) geometry and a lateral Si multiplication region. This Si foundry compatible process will allow for future integration with Si waveguides and optical fibres. The Ge is selectively grown inside sub-μm wide SiO2 trenches, reducing the threading dislocation in comparison with bulk Ge; a typical process for integrated Ge detectors. Here we deliberately exposed Ge sidewalls with an etch-back technique, to allow a passivation comparison not normally carried out in selectively grown devices planarised by chemical-mechanical polishing. Reduced dark currents are demonstrated using thermal GeO2 passivation in comparison to plasma-enhanced chemical-vapourdeposition SiO2. The improved passivation performance of GeO2 is verified by activation energy extraction and density of interface trap (Dit) calculations obtained from temperature-dependent capacitance-voltage (CV) and conductance-voltage (GV) measurements. This highlights the benefit of optimal surface passivation on sub-μm wide selectively grown Ge-on-SOI photodetector devices, potentially critical for waveguide integrated SPADs

Pseudo-planar Ge-on-Si Single-photon Avalanche Diode Detector with Record Low Noise-equivalent Power

Single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detectors are of significant interest for numerous applications, including light detection and ranging (LIDAR), and quantum technologies such as quantum-key distribution and quantum information processing. Here we present a record low noise-equivalent-power (NEP) for Ge-on-Si SPADs using a pseudo-planar design, showing high detection efficiency in the short-wave infrared; a spectral region which is key for quantum technologies and hugely beneficial for LIDAR. These devices can leverage the benefits of Si avalanche layers, with lower afterpulsing compared to InGaAs/InP, and reduced cost due to Si foundry compatibility. By scaling the SPAD pixels down to 26μm diameter, a step change in performance has been demonstrated, with significantly reduced dark count rates (DCRs), and low jitter (134ps). Ge-on-Si SPADs were fabricated using photolithography techniques and characterised using time-correlated single-photon counting. The DCR reaches as low as kilocount/s at 100K for excess bias up to ~5%. This reduction in DCR enables higher temperature operation; e.g. the DCR of a 26μm diameter pixel at 150 K is approximately equivalent to a 100 μm diameter pixel at 77 K (100s of kilocounts/s). These low values of DCR, coupled with the relatively temperature independent single photon detection efficiencies (SPDE) of ~29% (at 1310nm wavelength) leads to a record low NEP of 7.7×10−17WHz−1/2. This is approximately 2 orders of magnitude lower than previous similarly sized mesa-geometry Ge-on-Si SPADs. This technology can potentially offer a lowcost, Si foundry compatible SPAD operating at short-wave infrared wavelengths, with potential applications in quantum technologies and autonomous vehicle LIDAR

Afterpulsing in Ge-on-Si single-photon avalanche diodes

In this letter, we investigate afterpulsing in 26 and 100 μm diameter planar geometry Ge-on-Si single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detectors, by use of the double detector gating method with a gate width of 50 ns. Ge-on-Si SPADs were found to exhibit a 1% afterpulsing probability at a delay time of 200 μs and temperature of 78 K, and 130 μs at a temperature of 150 K. These delay times were measured with an excess bias of 3.5% applied, which corresponded to a single-photon detection efficiency of 15% at 1.31 μm . We demonstrate that reducing the detector diameter can also be an effective way to restrict afterpulsing in this material system