Title :
Photon counting 1060-nm hybrid photomultiplier with high quantum efficiency
Author :
La Rue, Ross A. ; Davis, Gary A. ; Pudvay, Dan ; Costello, Ken A. ; Aebi, Verle W.
Author_Institution :
Div. of Photonics Technol., Intevac Inc., Santa Clara, CA, USA
fDate :
3/1/1999 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
An ultra-low-noise, high-speed, hybrid photomultiplier tube sensitive from 900 to 1300 nm optical wavelength is described. The device, also known as an intensified photodiode (IPD), uses an active transferred electron (TE) photocathode with the quaternary In/sub .69/Ca/sub .31/As/sub .67/P/sub .33/ photo-absorbing layer and a GaAs Schottky avalanche photodiode (SAPD) anode. The detector has a combined electron bombarded and avalanche gain of over 15000 which is sufficient to overcome preamplifier noise and provide high internal counting efficiency of approximately 85%. At an active cathode bias of 1.5 V the room temperature cathode dark count rate is 6.67/spl times/10/sup 5//s. Cooling reduces this substantially corresponding to a dark current activation energy almost equal to the bandgap of the In/sub .69/Ca/sub .31/As/sub .67/P/sub .33/ layer.
Keywords :
avalanche photodiodes; dark conductivity; photocathodes; photomultipliers; photon counting; 1.5 V; 85 percent; 900 to 1300 nm; GaAs; In/sub 0.69/Ca/sub 0.31/As/sub 0.67/P/sub 0.33/; Schottky avalanche photodiode anode; active cathode bias; active transferred electron photocathode; avalanche gain; dark current activation energy; electron bombarded gain; intensified photodiode; internal counting efficiency; photo-absorbing layer; photon counting hybrid photomultiplier; quantum efficiency; Anodes; Avalanche photodiodes; Cathodes; Detectors; Electron optics; Gallium arsenide; High speed optical techniques; Optical sensors; Photomultipliers; Tellurium;
Journal_Title :
Electron Device Letters, IEEE
