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Self-quenched geiger mode InGaAs APD

WayneSeemungal

Dec 1, 2010
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Dec 1, 2010
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Our company, Amplification Technologies Inc, has developed a brand new, high gain, semiconductor technology in silicon and InGaAs APDs. This is a low light level detection and imaging technology. The technology is capable of achieving high gain (of the order of one million), with exceedingly low excess noise factor (F=1.03 in InGaAs and Si) and high bandwidth. As it is semiconductor based, we have the benefit of high quantum efficiency and high detection efficiency. Noise equivalent power is 7-8 fW/sqr rt Hz. Pulse width ~0.5 nsec. These are fabricated in conventional InGaAs processing or silicon CMOS processing, therefore arrays are possible.

One of the main features of the technology is that the devices are free running in the geiger mode of operation. There is no external quenching circuit as in geiger mode APDs. There is a built-in self quenching mechanism in the semiconductor layer. Therefore the devices are the solid state analog of vacuum tube devices like PMTs and image intensifiers, except they work at low voltage (~50V). They have much higher detection efficiencies than vacuum tube devices. They are very rugged, insensitive to magnetic fields. The devices can operate in both the analog detection mode or the photon counting mode. Therefore these devices can be termed "solid state photomultipliers".

Devices exist in both silicon and InGaAs. Please give me your opinion on the usefulness of this technology as applied to laser range finding and the reasons as to its applicability, or lack thereof. Thanks.
 
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