Development of a photon counting module using avalanche photodiodes (SPAD)

BORDAKEVICH, S. A.; KIELBOWICZ, A. A.; LAROTONDA, M. A.

Buenos Aires

Workshop; Giambiagi winter school; 2015

DF - FCEyN - UBA

Working with low levels of light often requires the use of instruments such as photon counting modules. These detectors, however, usually are between the most expensive laboratory supplies. The goal of this work is to locally develop a low cost photon counting module using an avalanche photodiode (SPAD). The module comprises an active quenching circuit that stops the avalanche, temperature stabilization by means of a closed loop control system, and single mode or multimode fiber coupling through a standard FC connector.We present preliminary results, that include the characterization of the dependence of dark counts of the detector and its breakdown voltage with the temperature. We also investigate different options for the active quenching circuit, studying the dead time between counts that each circuit can provide.