AI Article Synopsis
- The study describes the performance of HgCdTe avalanche photodiode (APD) arrays for lidar applications in the infrared range, highlighting excellent quantum efficiencies above 90% and significant APD gains exceeding 600.
- It also emphasizes the detectors' low noise levels (less than 0.5 fW/Hz NEP), broad bandwidth (6-10 MHz), and capability to deliver a linear analog output with a wide dynamic range, achieving up to 5 orders of magnitude by adjusting the APD gain.
- These advanced detectors have been effectively tested in airborne lidar systems for measuring carbon monoxide and methane, and show potential for future space lidar missions.
Article Abstract
We report results from characterizing the HgCdTe avalanche photodiode (APD) arrays developed for lidar at infrared wavelengths by using the high density vertically integrated photodiodes (HDVIP) technique. The results show >90% quantum efficiencies between 0.8 μm and the cut-off wavelength, >600 APD gain, near unity excess noise factor, 6-10 MHz electrical bandwidth and <0.5 fW/Hz noise equivalent power (NEP). The detectors provide linear analog output with a dynamic range of 2-3 orders of magnitude at a fixed APD gain without averaging, and over 5 orders of magnitude by adjusting the APD gain settings. They have been used successfully in airborne CO and CH integrated path differential absorption (IPDA) lidar as precursors for use in space lidar.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.25.016589 | DOI Listing |
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