基于InGaAs/InP材料的雪崩二极管探测器工作响应波段范围0.9~1.67 μm, 在盖革模式下探测效率较高, 具有单光子量级的灵敏度, 通过配置不同的偏置电路, 可工作在门控和自由运行模式。目前主要采用门控模式的工作方式, 门控模式可应用于光子到来时间已知的量子密钥分发。在激光测距、激光雷达成像等应用中当光子到达时间是未知的条件下, 器件需工作在自由运行模式下。通过内部集成或片上集成自淬灭器件, 探测器本身具有自淬灭或自恢复功能, 无需外部淬灭电路, 可工作在自由运行模式, 大大拓展了InGaAs/InP单光子探测器的应用领域, 同时对制备单光子探测器阵列具有优势。另外, 采用InGaAs/GaAsSbⅡ类超晶格材料作为雪崩二极管的吸收层, 可将探测器的截止波长进一步扩展为2.4 μm。首先对盖革模式APD进行了介绍, 在此基础上对当前发展的自由运行模式以及扩展波长的InP基单光子探测器原理和性能进行了详细的阐述。

The avalanche photodiode detector based on InGaAs/InP has a working response band range of 0.9-1.67 μm, which has high detection efficiency and single photonic sensitivity in Geiger mode. By configuring different bias circuits, it can work in gating and free running mode. At present, the gating mode is mainly used, and can be applied to quantum key distribution with known arrival time of photons. In laser ranging, lidar imaging and other applications, when the arrival time of photons is unknown, the device needs to work in free running mode. Through internal integration or on-chip integration of self-quenching devices, the detector itself has the function of self-quenching or self-recovery, does not need external quenching circuit, and can work in free running mode. This greatly expands the application field of InGaAs/InP single-photonic detector, and has the advantage of fabricating single-photonic detector array at the same time. In addition, the cutoff wavelength of the detector can be further extended to 2.4 μm by using InGaAs/GaAsSb II superlattice material as the absorption layer of the avalanche photodiode. In this paper, the Geiger mode APD was introduced, and the principle and performance of the current free running mode and the extended wavelength inp based single photonic detector were described in detail.