Photodiode counts single photons

A Goodrich Optical and Space Systems product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jan 17, 2006

Goodrich announces InGaAs/InP near-infra-red avalanche photodiode for single-photon counting at wavelengths of 0.9 to 1.6um.

Goodrich has announced an indium gallium arsenide/indium phosphide (InGaAs/InP) near-infra-red avalanche photodiode (APD) for single-photon counting at wavelengths of 0.9 to 1.6um.

The SU055-GM-APD-FO has a low dark current with high responsivity, making it suitable for Geiger mode single-photon counting.

It is also capable of high-gain linear mode single-photon counting with a quantum efficiency above 70%.

Featuring low-noise analogue optical detection up to about 1GHz, the device incorporates a high-performance APD chip, thermoelectric cooler, thermistor and optical fibre coupling optics in a compact and robust, hermetic package.

The standard module comes with 1m of 50um core, multimode fibre with an FC connector to ease integration.

Optional single-mode fibre pigtail is also available.

Applications include quantum cryptography, optical time domain reflectometry, near-infra-red Raman spectroscopy, biomedical NIR spectroscopy, time-resolved emission detection for failure analysis and singlet oxygen detection.