Pushing technologies: single-photon avalanche diode arrays

Franco Zappa; Simone Tisa; Sergio Cova; Piera Maccagnani; Domenico Bonaccini Calia; Giovanni Bonanno; Massimiliano Belluso; Roberto Saletti; Roberto Roncella

doi:10.1117/12.552940

25 October 2004 Pushing technologies: single-photon avalanche diode arrays

Franco Zappa, Simone Tisa, Sergio Cova, Piera Maccagnani, Domenico Bonaccini Calia, Giovanni Bonanno, Massimiliano Belluso, Roberto Saletti, Roberto Roncella

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 5490, Advancements in Adaptive Optics; (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.552940
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2004, Glasgow, United Kingdom

Abstract

We present the development of silicon monolithic arrays of 60 photon-counters (SPADA, Single-Photon Avalanche Diode Array) for the visible. The SPADA system is suitable for state-of-the-art Adaptive Optics operations and Fast Transient image acquisitions, at quite a fraction of the current cost of imaging arrays. The fabricated solid-state photon counters are rugged, easy to be integrated in the optical system. They are free from readout noise and provide very fast frame-rates (>10kHz, for visible corrections) and nanosecond electronic gating (for ranging the up-going laser beam). The detection head has been integrated into an optomechanical system suitable for alignment and focusing in available astrophysics telescopes. The detection electronics includes an integrated Active Quenching Circuits for each pixel of the array. The real-time data-processing board is implemented into FPGA and DSP and is configurable for dealing with different applications: the extraction of the curvature wavefront for AO applications, and the acquisition and processing of two-dimensional images with fast frame rate. A remote host computer controls all the SPADA blocks and uploads the processed information and images. We report the optical and electrical characterization of the detectors and the associated electronics.

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Franco Zappa, Simone Tisa, Sergio Cova, Piera Maccagnani, Domenico Bonaccini Calia, Giovanni Bonanno, Massimiliano Belluso, Roberto Saletti, and Roberto Roncella "Pushing technologies: single-photon avalanche diode arrays", Proc. SPIE 5490, Advancements in Adaptive Optics, (25 October 2004); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.552940

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