Fabrication technology of Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes

摘要

As a first assessment for the fabrication of Geiger mode avalanche photodiode arrays, the individual pixels are made. Geiger mode avalanche photodiodes are very sensitive for defects, because these cause dark counts and afterpulsing. Toinvestigate the influence of the processing on these effects, different fabrication methods are used to create experimental devices. The lowest dark count rates and afterpulsing probabilities are obtained for devices with cathodes formed using apolysilicium cathode process. This is due to the gettering of impurities from the junction area by the polysilicon layer.