Sensl Technologies Limited

Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC

University College Cork

Sensi Technologies Ltd.

John Carlton Jackson

Kevin Michael O'Neill

Liam Wall

Stephen John Bellis

Brian Patrick McGarvey

Salvatore Gnecchi

Peter Ward

Alan Mathewson

Donal Cronin

Mike Quinlan

Paul Malachy Daly

Patrick Joseph Hughes

Padraig Hughes

Steven John Buckley

Nikolay Pavlov

Edoardo Charbon

John Alderman

A semiconductor photomultiplier includes a microcell, a photosensitive diode, and an anti-reflective coating. The microcell has an insulating layer formed over an active region. The photosensitive diode is formed in the active region beneath the insulating layer. The anti-reflective coating is provided on the insulating layer.

Semiconductor photomultiplier

The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor photomultiplier comprising a a substrate; an array of photosensitive elements formed on a first major surface of the substrate; a plurality of primary bus lines interconnecting the photosensitive elements; at least one segmented secondary bus line provided on a second major surface of the substrate which is operably coupled to one or more terminals; and multiple vertical interconnect access (via) extending through the substrate operably coupling the primary bus lines to the at least one segmented secondary bus line.

A coincidence resolving time readout circuit is described. An analog SiPM sensor for detecting photons and generating an SIPM output signal is provided. An ADC is configured to provide multiple threshold values for converting the analogue SiPM output signal to digital values. A time to digital converter configured to receive multiple digital values from the ADC and timestamp the digital values.

Coincidence resolving time readout circuit

A laser driver is described which comprises a resonant circuit having an inductor and a DC blocking capacitor. A biasing voltage reference is operably coupled to the inductor. A controller is operable for controlling the resonant circuit for selectively connecting the inductor between high and low impedance. The DC blocking capacitor is operable for connecting to a laser diode.

Laser driver

Silicon photomultiplier circuitry is provided that comprises at least one silicon photomultiplier pixel, each pixel comprising a plurality of silicon photomultiplier microcells. The silicon photomultiplier circuitry comprises control circuitry adapted to maintain a substantially constant voltage on a connection node between microcells of the pixel. The control circuitry is adapted to minimise the onset and recovery time of an output signal by maintaining a substantially constant voltage on the connection node.

Method and apparatus to minimise the onset and recovery time of a silicon photomultiplier

A LiDAR readout circuit is described. The readout circuit comprises an SiPM sensor for detecting photons and generating an SIPM analog output signal. A plurality of comparators are provided each having an associated threshold value and being configured to compare the SiPM analog output signal with their associated threshold value and generate a comparison signal. A time to digital converter is configured to receive the comparison signals from the plurality of comparators.

LiDAR readout circuit

The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor photomultiplier comprising an array of interconnected microcells; wherein the array comprises at least a first type of microcell having a first junction region of a first geometric shape; and a second type of microcell having a second junction region of a second geometric shape.

Semiconductor photomultiplier with improved operating voltage range

A LiDAR apparatus comprising a laser source for emitting laser pulses. An SiPM detector is provided for detecting reflected photons. Optics and an aperture stop is provide. The aperture stop is provided intermediate the SiPM detector and the optics for limiting an angle of view of the SiPM detector.

LiDAR apparatus

A histogramming readout circuit is described. The readout circuit comprises a time to digital converter (TDC) configured to continually report time-stamps defining an arrival time of a laser clock and a signal output from a photosensor. Memory is provided for 10 storing TDC events. A programmable processor is configured to implement a state machine. The state machine being operable to save a time-stamp when a TDC event is detected; determine the time of flight of each of the photons detected by the photosensor; use each calculated time of flight to address a memory location; build up a histogram of the TDC data values using the memory locations as time-bins; and maintain a pointer to a maximum memory location where the highest number of TDC event resides. A calculator is operable to read the value of the maximum memory location and one or more adjacent time-bins either side for processing.

Histogram readout method and circuit for determining the time of flight of a photon

A semiconductor photomultiplier (SPM) device is described. The SPM comprises a plurality of photosensitive elements, a first electrode arranged to provide a bias voltage to the photosensitive elements, a second electrode arranged as a biasing electrode for the photosensitive elements, a plurality of quench resistive elements each associated with a corresponding photosensitive element, a plurality of output loads; a first node of each output load is common to one of the photosensitive elements and the corresponding quench element; and a third electrode provides an output signal from the photosensitive elements; the third electrode is coupled to a second node of the respective output loads; the outputs loads fully or partially correct an overshoot of the output signal on the third electrode.

Semiconductor photomultiplier with baseline restoration for a fast terminal signal output including output loads to correct an overshoot of an output signal

In one form, a process of manufacturing an avalanche photodiode includes forming an insulating layer over an active region of a semiconductor substrate. A shallow terminal of the avalanche photodiode is defined using a first patterned mask. A first dopant is implanted through the first patterned mask and the insulating layer to form the shallow terminal. The first patterned mask is removed. A deep terminal of the avalanche photodiode is defined using second patterned mask. A second dopant is implanted through the second patterned mask and insulating layer to form the deep terminal of the avalanche photodiode. A respective terminal of at least one of the shallow terminal and the deep terminal is defined using a respective patterned mask that forms at least two regions that are spatially separated from each other with no implanted structure located in a space therebetween.

Process of manufacturing an avalanche diode

The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor photomultiplier comprising a substrate; an array of photosensitive cells formed on the substrate that are operably coupled between an anode and a cathode. A set of primary bus lines are provided each being associated with a corresponding set of photosensitive cells. A secondary bus line is coupled to the set of primary bus lines. An electrical conductor is provided having a plurality of connection sites coupled to respective connection locations on the secondary bus line for providing conduction paths which have lower impedance than the secondary bus line.

The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor photomultiplier which comprises one or more microcells on a substrate having at least one terminal. At least one ESD protection element is operably coupled to the at least one terminal.

ESD protected semiconductor photomultiplier

The present disclosure relates to a process of manufacturing a photomultiplier microcell. The process comprises providing an insulating layer over an active region; and implanting a dopant through the insulating layer to form a photosensitive diode in the active region. The insulating layer once formed is retained over the active region throughout the manufacturing process.

Semiconductor photomultiplier and a process of manufacturing a photomultiplier microcell

The present disclosure relates to an avalanche photodiode comprising a substrate having an active area. A first dopant implant in the active area forms one of an anode and the cathode of the avalanche photodiode. A second dopant implant in the active area forming the other one of the anode and the cathode of the avalanche photodiode, wherein at least one of the first and second dopant implants defines a discontinuous formation having at least one interruption.

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Cobh, Ireland

John Carlton Jackson