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：碰撞电离工程和纳米级基于量子点的雪崩光电二极管，用于可靠的近长波红外光子计数。M.Hayat和S.Krishna，新墨西哥大学0601645J。C.Campbell，弗吉尼亚大学的智力优点：目前，非常需要用于低色散、低损耗1.3-1.55微米近红外(NIR)光谱窗口的高效率单光子探测器。这种需求在光纤量子通信、远程人眼安全闪光成像激光雷达和深空通信中的应用是有保证的。此外，长波红外(LWIR)体制的光子计数探测器在探测超低水平的辐照度和反射率方面将非常有用，如天文测光(天文物体的高速测光)、高速天体物理和化学传感。虽然光电倍增管和单光子雪崩二极管已经成功地开发出来，可用于1.1微米以下的波长，但还没有可接受的可用于1.3-1.55微米近红外操作的光子计数探测器。这一合作的理论和实验计划的目标是开发用于两个光谱区域的高精度光子计数的单光子雪崩二极管：(1)1.3-1.55微米的近红外区域，和(2)8-12微米的长波红外区域。建议的用于近红外操作的基于InGaAs的SPAD技术具有优化的Alinas-InP和AlInGaAs-GaAs撞击电离工程倍增区，已被证明为工作在1.55微米的雪崩光电二极管提供了创纪录的低过量噪声因数。另一方面，所提出的长波红外操作技术是基于作为吸收体的GaAs基量子点技术与GaAs倍增区的无缝集成。更广泛的影响：拟议的优化单光子雪崩二极管预计将使1.3-1.55微米光子计数系统的性能达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。这项拟议的努力还将对长波红外红外传感器的研究和技术产生重大影响。该项目将资助两名研究生和一名高中生(整个暑期)。将尽一切努力从工程界代表性不足的群体中招聘人员。每年将在新墨西哥大学组织一个为期两天的研讨会；所有从事该项目研究的学生将在技术和公开会议上介绍他们的工作。在研讨会期间，还将为感兴趣的高中理科教师提供免费的光通信短期课程。此外，阿尔伯克基科学博物馆Explora还将向儿童提供一系列有监督的、亲自操作的、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 Virginia0601927Intellectual 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.