HgCdTe APD-based linear-mode photon counting components and ladar receivers
2011
Linear mode photon counting (LMPC) provides significant advantages in comparison with Geiger Mode (GM) Photon
Counting including absence of after-pulsing, nanosecond pulse to pulse temporal resolution and robust operation in the
present of high density obscurants or variable reflectivity objects. For this reason Raytheon has developed and
previously reported on unique linear mode photon counting components and modules based on combining advanced
APDs and advanced high gain circuits. By using HgCdTe APDs we enable Poisson number preserving photon counting.
A metric of photon counting technology is dark count rate and detection probability. In this paper we report on a
performance breakthrough resulting from improvement in design, process and readout operation enabling >10x
reduction in dark counts rate to ~10,000 cps and >10 4 x reduction in surface dark current enabling long 10 ms
integration times. Our analysis of key dark current contributors suggest that substantial further reduction in DCR to
~ 1/sec or less can be achieved by optimizing wavelength, operating voltage and temperature.
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