WORKSHOP PAPER
Design and characterization of single-photon avalanche diodes in deep-cryogenic applications
Won-Yong Ha1, Francesco Gramuglia2, Eng Huat Toh2, Ping Zheng2, Yew Tuck Chow2, Alex Kish3, Hongzhi Sun3, Adam Para3, Carlos Escobar3, David Christian3, Paul M. Rubinov3, Farah Fahim3, Edoardo Charbon1
1AQUA Laboratory, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Neuchâtel, Switzerland
2GlobalFoundries, Munich, Germany
3Fermilab, Batavia, Illinois, USA

Abstract

This paper explores the performance of CMOS single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) utilizing Global-Foundries 55 nm BCDLite technology at cryogenic temperatures (CT). SPADs with active diameters ranging from 2 to 60 µm were tested to evaluate performance. We measured I-V characteristics, dark count rate (DCR), photon detection probability (PDP), and breakdown voltage at various temperatures from CT to room temperature (RT). Measurements were conducted using a cryogenic probe station capable of reaching 4K. The study investigated the effects of CT on breakdown voltage and PDP and the impact of tunneling and trap-assisted thermal generation noise on DCR. These findings provide new insights into SPAD performance at CT, supporting advancements in quantum sensing, high-energy physics, and low-temperature photon detection.
Year: 2025
Workshop: IISW
URL: https://doi.org/10.60928/khlm-mqaw
Download PDF

Keywords

Cryogenic temperature, dark count rate (DCR), photon detection probability (PDP), shallow trench isolation (STI), single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD),

References

[1]) W.-Y. Ha, E. Park, B. Park, Y. Chae, W.-Y. Choi, and M.-J. Lee, "Noise optimization of single-photon avalanche diodes fabricated in 110 nm cmos image sensor technology", Opt. Express, vol. 30, no. 9, Apr 2022., 2022. https://doi.org/10.1364/oe.455513
[2]) A. Morelle, F. Gramuglia, P. Keshavarzian, C. Bruschini, D. Chong, J. Tan, M. Tng, E. Quek, and E. Charbon, "Deep cryogenic operation of 55 nm cmos spads for quantum information and metrology applications", in Quantum Information and Measurement VI 2021. Optica Publishing Group, 2021., 2021. https://doi.org/10.1364/qim.2021.m2b.7
[3]) J. Brooke, J. Rademacker, S. Paramesvaran, and D. Cussans, "Deep underground neutrino experiment (DUNE) far detector technical design report: Volume i ; introduction to DUNE", Journal of Instrumentation, vol. 15, no. 08, 2020., 2020. https://doi.org/10.2172/1699419
[4]) F. Gramuglia, P. Keshavarzian, E. Kizilkan, C. Bruschini, S. S. Tan, M. Tng, E. Quek, M.-J. Lee, and E. Charbon, "Engineering breakdown probability profile for pdp and dcr optimization in a spad fabricated in a standard 55 nm bcd process", IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, vol. 28, no. 2: Optical Detectors, 2022., 2022. https://doi.org/10.1109/jstqe.2021.3114346