Voxtel Introduces A New Class Of Near-Infrared Detector
Voxtel Incorporated announces a new class of near-infrared photodetectors: carrier multiplication devices (CMDs). CMDs are nanostructured indium gallium arsenide/indium aluminum arsenide (InGaAs/ InAlAs) devices that have been designed to overcome the limitations of avalanche photodiodes (APDs) in the 0.9 to 1.6 micron spectral region, including the eye-safe range beyond 1.3 microns. These new photodetectors exceed the capabilities of APDs in both gain and noise performance. With their high gain and low noise, combined with high quantum efficiency, Voxtel's CMDs are ideal for low-light-level detection, or any other applications that call for industryleading sensitivity in the near-infrared spectral band. Coupling the CMD to a low-noise amplifier produces a receiver with high gain, superior noise equivalent power, and better overall sensitivity. The CMD operating bias has low temperature sensitivity compared to APDs, making it easier and more costeffective to integrate CMDs into systems and laboratory instrumentation.
In the past, APDs have been used by designers of LIDAR, telecommunications, and other active optical systems to boost the photosignal above downstream electronics noise. However, the benefits of APDs are restricted by their limited useful amplification — typically less than 15x — and the noise that the avalanche gain process adds to the signal. Voxtel's CMDs can be operated at high gain with low noise, allowing for active optical systems with better sensitivity, longer range, and lower laser power.
Featuring ultra-low-noise analog optical detection up to approximately 1 GHz, Voxtel's new Siletz series of CMDs have very low effective ionization coefficients (k ~ 0.02), and can be operated with low excess noise: F(M) ~ 2 up to gain M = 50. The maximum linear-mode gain of Siletz CMDs is typically above M = 100. By contrast, standard telecom NIR APDs are generally not useful above M = 15, and carry a much greater noise penalty (k = 0.4; F(M) > 7 at M = 15).
Other applications for the new near-infrared CMD include quantum cryptography, optical time domain reflectometry, near-infrared Raman spectroscopy, biomedical NIR spectroscopy, time-resolved emission detection for failure analysis, and singlet oxygen detection.
About Voxtel Incorporated
Voxtel is a global supplier of optoelectronic and nanophotonic products for industrial, commercial, military, agricultural and biomedical markets. For more information,visit www.voxtel-inc.com.SOURCE: Voxtel Incorporated