Avalanche Photodiodes for Scintillating Fiber Detectors

*9505294恩泰这个小型企业创新研究第二阶段项目将完成高性能精密光学传感器阵列的技术开发，能够检测高能粒子与光纤探测器相互作用产生的非常快、非常弱的光信号。科学史上一些最雄心勃勃的项目现在正在全球不同地点的高光度粒子加速器设施中进行。这些努力取得成功的核心是能够获得如所提议的那样的探测器。目前，能够达到所需光学性能的唯一技术是探测器系统，该系统需要极其笨重和昂贵的低温冷却到液氦温度。作为第一阶段研究的结果，已经发明了一种新技术，该技术将极大地降低探测此类科学任务所需的微弱光学信号的费用和挑战。这项技术由独特的超高增益雪崩光电二极管阵列组成，噪声如此之低，以至于它们可以在接近-50摄氏度的温度下工作，这一温度范围可以经济地轻松达到。在第二阶段，将进行研究，将这种设备的性能进行表征，并发现其性能超出最初的预期，以便立即在许多高能设施中安装。这些新型光学传感器非常灵敏，它们将用于广泛的光学应用，包括大型高能物理系统、卫星瞄准和通信以及光纤数据系统。***

*** 9505294 Entine This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will complete the technical development of high performance arrays of sophisticated optical sensors, capable of' detecting the very fast, very low light level signals generated by the interaction of high energy particles with fiber optic detectors. Some of the most ambitious projects in the history of scientific research are now being undertaken at high luminosity particle accelerator facilities at various sites around the globe. Central to the success of these endeavors are the availability of detectors such as those proposed. Presently the only technology capable of achieving the required optical performance is a system of detectors which require extremely cumbersome and expensive cryogenic cooling to liquid helium temperatures. As a result of the Phase I research, a new technology has been invented which should greatly reduce the expense and challenge of detecting the faint optical signals central to such scientific quests. This technology consists of arrays of unique, super high gain avalanche photodiodes with such low noise that they can operate at temperatures near -50 degrees C, a temperature range which can be economically reached with little difficulty. In Phase II, research will be conducted to move this device, whose performance has been characterized and found to exceed initial expectations, to the point where it will be ready for immediate incorporation at many high energy facilities. These new optical sensors are so sensitive that they will be useful for a wide array of optical applications including large high energy physics systems, satellite aiming and communication and fiber optic data systems. ***