Twenty Years of Rad-Hard K14 SPAD in Space Projects.

Vojtěch Michálek,Ivan Procházka,Josef Blažej

doi:10.3390/s150818178

Vojtěch Michálek, Ivan Procházka + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/s150818178

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Abstract

During last two decades, several photon counting detectors have been developed in our laboratory. One of the most promising detector coming from our group silicon K14 Single Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) is presented with its valuable features and space applications. Based on the control electronics, it can be operated in both gated and non-gated mode. Although it was designed for photon counting detection, it can be employed for multiphoton detection as well. With respect to control electronics employed, the timing jitter can be as low as 20 ps RMS. Detection efficiency is about 40 % in range of 500 nm to 800 nm. The detector including gating and quenching circuitry has outstanding timing stability. Due to its radiation resistivity, the diode withstands 100 krad gamma ray dose without parameters degradation. Single photon detectors based on K14 SPAD were used for planetary altimeter and atmospheric lidar in MARS92/96 and Mars Surveyor ’98 space projects, respectively. Recent space applications of K14 SPAD comprises LIDAR and mainly time transfer between ground stations and artificial satellites. These include Laser Time Transfer, Time Transfer by Laser Link, and European Laser Timing projects.

Highlights

IntroductionElster and Geitel imagined the first photon counting device [1]
One hundred years ago, Elster and Geitel imagined the first photon counting device [1]
The K14 Single Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) is operated coupled with a custom made active quenching and gating circuits inspired by Cova [11]

Summary

Introduction

Elster and Geitel imagined the first photon counting device [1]. In a gas-filled tube with high voltage between electrodes, an electron is emitted by photon impact and accelerated by high electric potential causing gas ionization and detectable discharge Such a device derived from Geiger–Müller counter was constructed by Locher in 1932 and was able to detect photons of visible light [2]. The key feature of photon counting technique is the ability of detection of very weak optical signals even several orders of magnitude below noise It outperforms even high sensitive analog detectors in applications with short measurement time window or with high accuracy a priori knowledge of time of arrival of the signal [3]. Inspired by Haitz [5], one of the most promising structure was developed, a silicon based Single Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) manufactured by K14 process [6] It is a so-called thin SPAD with several unique features.

Structure and Principle of Operation

Detector Properties

Space Projects

Conclusions