Single photon detector package with sub-picosecond limiting precision and stability

Abstract

We are presenting the results of research and development of a new active quenching and gating electronics for single photon avalanche detector. The goal of this work was to improve a detector package for laser time transfer ground to space applications in terms of long term detection delay stability, detection delay reproducibility and minimal drifts. The first version of mentioned detector package is operational on board of GNSS navigation satellites. They are based on relatively small 25 μm diameter chips. They do provide timing resolution of typically 125 ps and stability of the order of 10 ps. The presented control electronics provides timing resolution of 25 ps and sub-picosecond timing stability and drifts. The device is constructed on a basis of electronics components for which the space qualified equivalents are commercially available. The device construction, tests and results are presented in detail.