Scalable Single Photon Detection Systems

极低的光级或极少的光子数需要使用极灵敏的光学探测器。处理这些弱光的挑战影响到许多应用，如光量子通信、核成像以及光检测和测距。单光子雪崩二极管只能响应单个光子，而硅光电倍增管实际上是一个单光子雪崩二极管阵列。这种探测器的一种新形式，即周长门控单光子雪崩二极管(PGSPAD)，已经在推动现代技术进步(如手机)的商业CMOS工艺中成功展示。该项目旨在将这一新设备推广到其他技术的成功实施中，并开发完整的检测系统。其更广泛的意义在于开发新型可伸缩单光子探测器的模型和体系结构，这将影响基础科学，并影响国家安全、地理研究、空间探索和公共卫生等领域。该项目通过利用田纳西大学现有的培训计划，对正在崛起的12年级学生、本科生和研究生的不同群体进行指导。这项研究的结果将通过会议和期刊以及通过制作简短的总结视频来传播。该项目利用周长门控单光子雪崩二极管来开发可扩展的探测系统。附加的周向门控单光子雪崩二极管多晶硅栅可以调节重要的器件特性，如暗计数速率和击穿电压。该调整便于在设备阵列上校正探测器特性的不均匀，例如噪声、动态范围和光子检测概率。该项目旨在使现有的PGSPAD设备适应其他技术，例如基于绝缘体上硅的技术，通过制造测试结构来验证基于物理的设备和光学模拟，开发基于可分块子模块和通过堆叠芯片结构的无线传输的可扩展架构，以及将处理直接集成到检测系统中。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Extremely low light levels or low numbers of photons require the use of extremely sensitive optical detectors. Challenges of working with these low light levels impact many applications such as optical quantum communication, nuclear imaging, and light detection and ranging. Single photon avalanche diodes are capable of a response from only a single photon and Silicon Photomultipliers are effectively an array of single photon avalanche diodes. A novel form of these detectors, known as perimeter gated single photon avalanche diodes (PGSPAD) have been successfully demonstrated in the commercial CMOS processes which drive modern technological advances such as the cell phone. This project seeks to extend this new device into successful implementation in other technologies and to develop the full detection system. The broader significance lies in the development of models and architectures for new scalable single photon detectors which will impact basic science and influence fields such as national security, geographical studies, space exploration, and public health. The project incorporates mentoring of a diverse population of rising 12th graders, undergraduate students, and graduate students by leveraging existing training programs at the University of Tennessee. Results from this research will be disseminated through conferences and journals as well as through creation of short summary videos.The project leverages perimeter gated single photon avalanche diodes to develop scalable detection systems. The additional polysilicon gate of perimeter gated single photon avalanche diodes can adjust important device properties such as the dark count rate and the breakdown voltage. This adjustment facilitates correcting non-uniformity of detector characteristics, such as the noise, dynamic range, and photon detection probabilities, across an array of devices. This project seeks to adapt the existing PGSPAD devices to other technologies, such as silicon on insulator based technology, through fabrication of test structures to verify physics based device and optical simulations, the development of a scalable architecture based on tileable sub-modules and wireless transmission across a stacked chip structure, and integration of processing directly into the detection system.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.