Author(s): Tang, YS (Tang, Yongsheng); Wang, R (Wang, Rui); Yang, XH (Yang, Xiaohong); He, TT (He, Tingting); Liu, YJ (Liu, Yijun); Zhao, M (Zhao, Meng)

Source: NATURE COMMUNICATIONS Volume: 15 Issue: 1  Article Number: 593  DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43341-9  Published: JAN 18 2024 

Abstract: Crosstalk has become an urgent issue for single-photon avalanche diode arrays. In previous work, trenches were introduced between pixels to block the crosstalk optical path in planar InGaAs/InP single-photon avalanche diode arrays, since the optical crosstalk was considered as the main crosstalk mechanism. However, the crosstalk suppression effect of this solution is not satisfactory. Here, we demonstrate a carrier extraction structure to efficiently reduce crosstalk by electrically guiding photogenerated crosstalk holes in the non-pixel region to the surface, since we find that the optical-electrical crosstalk is the dominant crosstalk mechanism. Experimental measurements show that a narrow carrier extraction structure makes a 91.52% (96.22%) crosstalk reduction between the nearest neighbor pixels in arrays with 100 (50) mu m pixel pitch, and it does not cause any etching damage. These results reveal the primary source of crosstalk in InGaAs/InP single-photon avalanche diode arrays and provide a practical route to fabricate low-crosstalk, high-pixel-density arrays for use in high-resolution three-dimensional imaging and quantum technologies.

Opticalelectrical crosstalk, rather than optical crosstalk, is the primary issue in InGaAs/InP single-photon avalanche diode arrays. Here, Tang et al. propose a carrier-extraction structures to replace the trenching method, effectively reducing crosstalk and maintaining device reliability.

Accession Number: WOS:001145563900014

PubMed ID: 38238296

eISSN: 2041-1723