Project Title: Plasmonic enhancement of Si-based single-photon avalanche diode by grating coupling
Project Description:
Single-Photon Avalanche Diodes (SPAD) are one of the most promising Si-based optical sensors for their low-cost mass production, small size, low power consumption and low working bias. By contrary, SPADs have low sensitivity to long-wavelength photons (>Near-IR), limiting their possible applications. In this research project, conducted in collaboration with the researchers of the Center of Materials and Microsystem (CMM) at Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) in Trento, to overcome this problem is suggested to couple a Si-based SPAD with a metallic nano-grating supporting Surface Plasmon Polaritons (SPPs). Therefore, confining incident photons in the superficial layer of the device, increasing the absorption probability. The project is composed of three parts:
- Simulation of different nano-grating structure
- Production in clean rooms laboratories of the optimal structure on a SPAD
- Electro-optical characterization to evaluate the enhancement
Project Collaborators:
Dr. Pierluigi Bellutti, Center for Materials and Microsystems, Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), Italy
Dr. Giovanni Patenoster, Microtechnologies Lab, Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), Italy
Project Funding:
The project is funded by Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK).
For more information please contact Elia Scattolo and Prof. Luisa Petti.