Proximity sensor and method of sensing a distance of an object from a proximity sensor

A proximity sensor comprising:

• an array of Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes, each Geiger mode avalanche photodiode comprising an anode contact and a cathode contact;
• a common cathode contact coupled to said cathode contacts of said array of Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes to define a first connection lead at a back side of said array of Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes;
• a common anode collecting grid contact coupled to said anode contacts of said array of Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes to define a second connection lead of said array of Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes;
• and
• circuitry coupled with said first and second connection leads and configured to
• sense at least one of a dark current and a rate of current spikes generated in dark conditions, and
• generate an output signal representing an estimated distance of an object from said array of Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes based upon the sensing.

A proximity sensor comprising:

• an array of Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes, each Geiger mode avalanche photodiode comprising an anode contact and a cathode contact;
• a common cathode contact coupled to said cathode contacts of said array of Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes to define a first connection lead;
• a common anode contact coupled to said anode contacts of said array of Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes to define a second connection lead;
• and
• circuitry coupled with said first and second connection leads and configured to sense a dark current, and generate an output signal representing an estimated distance of an object from said array of Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes based upon, the sensed dark current.

A proximity sensor comprising:

• an array of Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes, each Geiger mode avalanche photodiode comprising an anode contact and a cathode contact;
• a common cathode contact coupled to said cathode contacts of said array of Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes to define a first connection lead;
• a common anode contact coupled to said anode contacts of said array of Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes to define a second connection lead;
• and
• circuitry coupled with said first and second connection leads and configured to sense a rate of current spikes generated in dark conditions, and generate an output signal representing an estimated distance of an object from said array of Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes based upon the sensed rate of current spikes.

A method of sensing a distance of an object from a proximity sensor comprising:

• inversely biasing an array of Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes;
• sensing at least one of a dark current and a rate of current spikes generated by the array of Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes in dark conditions;
• and
• generating an output signal representing an estimated distance of an object from the array based upon the sensing.