Collaborative Research: Impact Ionization Engineered and Nanoscale Quantum-dot Based Avalanche Photodiodes for Reliable Near- to Long-wave Infrared Photon Counting

合作研究：用于可靠近长波红外光子计数的冲击电离工程和纳米级量子点雪崩光电二极管。M. Hayat和S. Krishna，新墨西哥大学，0601645j。摘要：目前，对于低色散、低损耗的1.3 ~ 1.55微米近红外光谱窗，迫切需要高效的单光子探测器。这种需求在光纤量子通信、远程人眼安全闪光成像雷达和深空通信中的应用得到了保证。此外，用于长波红外（LWIR）体制的光子计数探测器将在探测超低水平的辐照度和反射率方面非常有用，如在天文测光（天文物体的高速测光）、高速天体物理学和化学传感中。虽然光电倍增管和单光子雪崩二极管已经成功地开发了波长低于1.1微米的光电倍增管，但对于1.3-1.55微米的近红外操作，还没有可接受的光子计数探测器。这个合作的理论和实验项目的目标是开发单光子雪崩二极管，用于两种光谱模式下的高精度光子计数：(1)1.3-1.55微米近红外模式，(2)8-12微米低红外模式。提出的基于ingaas的SPAD技术用于近红外工作，其特点是优化了AlInAs-InP和AlInGaAs-GaAs冲击电离工程倍增区，这两种倍增区已经被证明可以为工作在1.55微米的雪崩光电二极管提供创纪录的低过量噪声因子。另一方面，提出的LWIR操作技术是基于基于GaAs的量子点技术的无缝集成，作为吸收剂，与GaAs倍增区。更广泛的影响：所提出的优化单光子雪崩二极管有望将1.3-1.55微米光子计数系统的性能提高到与可见光光子计数器相当的水平，这将极大地影响上述应用。拟议的努力也将对LWIR红外传感器的研究和技术产生巨大影响。该项目将支持两名研究生和一名高中生（暑假期间）。将尽一切努力从工程领域代表性不足的群体中招聘人才。每年将在新墨西哥大学组织一次为期两天的研讨会；在这个项目中做研究的所有学生都将在技术和公开会议上展示他们的工作。在研讨会期间，还将为感兴趣的高中科学教师提供免费的光通信短期课程。此外，在阿尔伯克基的科学博物馆explorora，将为孩子们提供一系列有监督的、实际操作的、有趣的单光子探测演示。

Collaborative Research: Impact Ionization Engineered and NanoscaleQuantum-dot Based Avalanche Photodiodes for Reliable Near- toLong-wave Infrared Photon CountingM. M. Hayat and S. Krishna, University of New Mexico0601645J. C. Campbell, University of Virginia0601927ABTRACTIntellectual Merit: Presently, there is a great need for high-efficiency single-photon detectors for the low-dispersion, low-loss 1.3-1.55 micron near-infrared (NIR) spectral window. This need is warranted by applications in fiber-optic quantum communication, long-range eye-safe flash imaging ladar, and deep-space communication. Moreover, photon-counting detectors for the long-wave infrared (LWIR) regime would be very useful in detecting ultralow levels of irradiance and reflectance, as in astronomical photometry (high-speed photometry of astronomical objects), high-speed astrophysics and chemical sensing. While photomultiplier tubes and single-photon avalanche diodes have been successfully developed for wavelengths below 1.1 micron, there are no acceptable photon-counting detectors for 1.3-1.55 micron NIR operation. The goal of this collaborative theoretical and experimental program is to develop single-photon avalanche diodes for high-accuracy photon counting in two spectral regimes: (1) the 1.3-1.55 micron NIR regime, and (2) the 8-12 micron LWIR regime. The proposed InGaAs-based SPAD technology for NIR operation features optimized AlInAs-InP and AlInGaAs-GaAs impact-ionization-engineered multiplication regions, which have already been demonstrated to offer record-low excess noise factors for avalanche photodiodes operating at 1.55 micron. On the other hand, the proposed technology for LWIR operation is based on a seamless integration of GaAs-based quantum-dot technology, as an absorber, with a GaAs multiplication region. Broader Impacts: The proposed optimized single-photon avalanche diodes are expected to bring the performance of 1.3-1.55 micron photon-counting systems to a level comparable to that of visible-light photon counters, which would greatly impact the aforementioned applications. The proposed effort would also have a dramatic impact on LWIR infrared sensor research and technology. Two graduate students and one high school student (over the summer) will be supported in this project. Every effort will be made to recruit from underrepresented groups in engineering. A two-day symposium will be organized each year at the University of New Mexico; all students doing research in this program will present their work in technical and open-public sessions. During the symposia, a free short course in optical communication will also be offered to interested high-school science teachers. Additionally, a series of supervised, hands-on and intriguing demonstrations of single-photon detection will be provided to children at Explora, Albuquerque's science museum.