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US 10,158,038 B1Granted
Fast-gated photodetector architectures comprising dual voltage sources with a switch configuration
AssigneeHi LLC
InventorsBruno Do Valle, Rong Jin, Jacob Dahle, Husam Katnani
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An exemplary photodetector includes a SPAD and a capacitor. The capacitor is configured to be charged, while the SPAD is in a disarmed state, with a bias voltage by a voltage source. The capacitor is further configured to supply, when the SPAD is put in an armed state, the bias voltage to an output node of the SPAD such that a voltage across the SPAD is greater than a breakdown voltage of the SPAD.
Claims30
A photodetector comprising:
- a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD);
- a first voltage source connected to an input node of the SPAD and configured to supply a reverse bias voltage at the input node, the reverse bias voltage having a magnitude that is equal to or less than a breakdown voltage of the SPAD;
- a capacitor;
- a second voltage source configured to selectively connect to the capacitor to charge the capacitor with an excess bias voltage;
- and
- a switch configuration configured to put the SPAD into an armed state by connecting the capacitor to an output node of the SPAD while the capacitor is charged with the excess bias voltage and while the capacitor is disconnected from the second voltage source;
- wherein, when the capacitor is connected to the output node of the SPAD, the capacitor supplies the excess bias voltage to the output node of the SPAD such that a voltage across the SPAD is greater than the breakdown voltage.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- directing a first voltage source to supply a reverse bias voltage at an input node of a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD), the reverse bias voltage having a magnitude that is equal to or less than a breakdown voltage of the SPAD;
- directing a second voltage source configured to selectively connect to a capacitor to charge the capacitor with an excess bias voltage, the excess bias voltage having a magnitude that is less than the magnitude of the reverse bias voltage supplied by the first voltage source;
- disconnecting, in response to the capacitor being charged with the excess bias voltage, the second voltage source from the capacitor;
- and
- putting the SPAD into an armed state by connecting the capacitor to an output node of the SPAD while the capacitor is both charged with the excess bias voltage and disconnected from the second voltage source;
- wherein, when the capacitor is connected to the output node of the SPAD, the capacitor supplies the excess bias voltage to the output node of the SPAD such that a voltage across the SPAD is greater than the breakdown voltage.
3 more elements
A photodetector comprising:
- a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD);
- a capacitor connected to an output node of the SPAD;
- a first voltage source configured to selectively connect to the capacitor to charge the capacitor with a bias voltage having a magnitude that is equal to or less than a breakdown voltage of the SPAD;
- a second voltage source configured to supply a reverse excess bias voltage having a magnitude that is less than the magnitude of the bias voltage;
- and
- a switch configuration configured to put the SPAD into an armed state by connecting the second voltage source to an input node of the SPAD while the capacitor is both charged with the bias voltage and disconnected from the first voltage source.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.