Avalanche Photodiodes and Photoreceivers

Ultra Sensitive Detector, BAA AL 2005-01

AFRL #FA8632-05-C-2456

Program Goal: To develop the design of a sub-nanosecond response APD focal plane array (FPA) receiver in which each APD unit cell is capable of sensing single photons, measuring their time of flight to an accuracy of 500 ps and with 21 bits of temporal dynamic range. Development of Voxtel’s multi-stage APD design began under this program. The ROIC was designed to operate at 10,000 FPS, sampling 128 pulse returns per frame.

Airborne Laser Detector Tech. (ADET), BAA AL2003-01

AFRL #F33657-03-C-2043

Program Goal:To support airborne laser (ABL) sensor missions such as active tracking, wavefront sensing, laser ranging, imaging, and scoring, by designing a 32×32 APD, with 1.0 to 1.7 -µm sensitivity, 10,000 FPS operation, NEI of 6 photons, and 1-nsec pulse arrival temporal resolution…

Solid-State LIDAR Chip

NSWC #N00178-06-C-3024

Program Goal: To fabricate and qualify a Solid-State Imaging LIDAR for integration with the AN/AES-1 (ALMDS) and AN/AQS-20A mine detection systems.

NIR Photon Counting APD

NIST #SB1341-02-C-0015

Program Goal: To develop a high-speed, large-area, single-photon sensitive Geiger APDs and active quenching circuits for measuring the polarization state of entangled photons.

Ultra-Low-Noise, High-Bandwidth, 1550 nm HgCdTe APD

NASA #NNG05CA28C

Program Goal: To enable deep space laser communications, by fabricating a sub-nsec response, single-photon- sensitive linear mode low-noise, large-area HgCdTe APD photoreceiver, including low-noise amplification integrated circuit.

Phase II Radiation Hard, High Precision, Agile Star Tracker

MDA #W9113M-07-C-0155

Program Goal: To fabricate and demonstrate a 2K x 2K star tracker FPA,
which is radiation hardened and optimized for space based star tracking applications

ABL (Airborne Laser) Detection Sensor Improvements

MDA #HQ00006-07-C-7777

Program Goal: To develop an upgrade to the ABL, a single photon sensitive ranging camera.

HgCdTe Linear Mode APD

NASA #NNG04CA94C

Program Goal: To develop the design of a SWIR sensitive high data rate, large-area (> 1-mm) single-photon sensitive, photon-number-discriminating APD receiver without Geiger mode operation.

Phase II Single Photon Sensitive HgCdTe Avalanche Photodiode Detector

NASA #NNX07CA62P

Program Goal: To demonstrated and deliver to NASA a no excess noise, single photon sensitive, HgCdTe APD receiver for use in MWIR space communications systems and NASA LIDAR systems

Adaptive Multiwaveform Laser Ranging and Detection (LADAR)

AFRL #FA8750-07-C-0173

Program Goal: To demonstrate the effectiveness of encoded laser waveforms and APD receivers for strategic laser radar systems

Time-Resolved, X-Ray Photon Detector Array

DOE #DE-FG02-07ER84759

Program Goal: To develop large area silicon APD arrays to measure and
record the time of arrival of x-ray photon events.

Large Area, Sold State Photomultiplier Array for Cherenkov Calorimetry

DOE #DE-FG02-07ER84918

Program Goal: To develop large area Geiger mode silicon APD arrays to
measure Cherenkov scintillators

High ohm Resolution, 15-micron thin, Pixellated, SOI CMOS Vertex Sensor

DOE #DE-FG02-07ER84919

Program Goal: To Develop thin, back-illuminated SOI CMOS imager that records the amplitude and time of arrival of energetic particles from Vertex detectors such as for the International Linear Collider (ILC)

High Efficiency, High Speed Gamma Ray Detectors

DOE #DE-FG02-07ER84759

Program Goal: To develop arrays of silicon APDs for detecting blue scintillators

Phase II Enhancement Uncooled, Long-Life Wavefront/Tracking Sensor

SMDC #W9113M-06-C-0126

Program Goal:To Demonstrate prototype impact ionization engineered Linear Mode InGaAs APD arrays to replace the EBCCD cameras used on the AB1.

Phase II Enhanced Focal Plane Array Technology

AFRL #FA9200-06-C-0322

Program Goal: To developing Germanium arrays for high power laser imaging and NIR Wavefront sensing.

Enhanced Focal Plane Array

AFRL #FA9200-05-C-0180

Program Goal: To develop a NIR-sensitive, high current capacity, NIR, 2048×2048 FPA to be used for radiometric testing of high energy lasers.

Uncooled, Long-Life Wavefront/Tracking Sensor

AFRL #FA9453-05-M-0066

Program Goal: (as a precursor of SMDC W9113M-06-C0126 above) The goal was to develop APD-based FPAs as a more reliable alternative to the electron-bombarded charge-coupled devices (EBCCDs) that are presently used.

Improved Reliability EBCCD Sensors

AFRL #F29601-03-M-0249

Program Goal: To develop the back-thinning and surface passivation techniques necessary to produce high electron-bombarded silicon gain CMOS sensors that use commercial CMOS processes, but that dispense with the expensive and unreliable back-end processing commonly used to make back-thinned sensors.

Highly Stable, Large Format EUV Imager

NASA #NNG04CA63C

Program Goal: To design a back-illuminated CMOS imager with improved EUV sensitivity and superior back-surface stability.

Optical Sensors for Tracking and Discrimination of Multiple Targets

AFRL# FA9453-04-M-0265

Program Goal: Voxtel developed space active tracking, the design of a deeply-depleted CMOS-based focal plane array. Features include improved 1030 nm and 1064 nm response, random, and non-destructive readout.

Back-Illuminated CMOS Detector Arrays

NAVY #N00014-06-M-0089

Program Goal: To develop a back-thinning process for CMOS imagers, for applications such as missile warning and beam riding.

Radiation Hard, High Precision, Agile Star Tracker

SMDC #W9113M-06-C-0094

Program Goal: To develop a rad-hard star tracker imager for space applications such as STSS.

SOI CMOS Star Tracker

DTRA# DTRA01-02-P-0185

Program Goal: To improve navigation in the harsh space radiation environments, Voxtel designed and simulated a novel rad-hard CMOS Star Tracker with radiation mitigation circuitry.

High Speed, Direct-Electron Microscopy Detector Array

DOE# DE-FG02-06ER84405

Program Goal: To develop a CMOS imaging array for direct-electron imaging in electron microscopes – eliminating phosphor.

Improved Vertex Focal Plane Array for Linear Colliders

DOE #DE-FG02-06ER84489

Program Goal: To develop a thin (15 micron) back-illuminated sensor, with time of arrival statistics to improve pulse pile in the planned ILC.

Ultra Sensitive Detector

MDA# FA 8632-05-C-2456

Program Goal: To develop a novel single photon sensitive InAlGaAs APD array and readout integrated circuit for laser ranging, pulse discrimination, and range time sampling.

Ultra-compact Low-Power NIR Flash LADAR Receiver

NASA #NNG06LA37C

To develop the design of a Germanium, NIR sensitive LADAR receiver.

Revolutionary Photoreceivers

AFRL# FA-8750-04-C-0152

Program Goal: To Develop a novel, PbSe and PbSe hybrid quantum dot nanocrystal quantum dot – conductive polymer photodetector to be integrated into silicon waveguides for high speed, low cost distributed phased-array ladar receivers.

Innovative Techniques for Missile Defense

SMDC# W9113M-04-P-0052

Program Goal: To develop a SWIR “linear mode,” HgCdTe APD LADAR receiver, which achieves single photon signal amplitude sampling and high bandwidth without the deleterious effects of Geiger operation.

High Performance Geiger-mode 1.06 micron APD array

SMDC #W911M-04-C-0103

Program Goal: To develop a 32×32 array of single photon sensitive Geiger Mode NIR-sensitive InGaAs APD with low noise and high probability of detection

Kirtland Tracking

AFRL #FA9453-04-M-0265

Program Goal: To develop the design of a1024 x 1024 element NIR imagery for wavefront sensing.

Nanotechnology

High Efficiency, Engineered Nanomaterials for Thermoelectric Applications

NASA #NNM06AA41C

Program Goal: To develop high thermoelectric figure-of-merit (ZT) nanocrystal quantum dot (NQD) thermoelectric (TE) materials.

Multifunctional Nanoparticles for Tracking Material

ARMY #W911NF-06-C-0121

Program Goal: To develop a security ink undetected by the naked eye
and with at least 6 degrees of encryption.

Nanostructured Materials with Improved Thermoelectric Properties

NSF OII-0611239

Program Goal: To develop a thermoelectric cooler based on colloidal quantum dot materials.

Binary Multi-Taggant System for Unique Target ID

NAVY #N00014-06-M0332

Program Goal: To develop a quantum dot taggant that is stimulated by non-solar radiation and is invisible to the human eye.

Next Generation Architecture for Night Vision Imaging

AFRL #FA8650-05-C-0041, FA 8650-06-M-6672

Program Goal: To develop the design of a flexible integrated quantum dot, organic SWIR detector, readout electronics, and display, which represents the future of night vision devices.

Phase II Engineered Nanomaterials for Thermoelectric Applications

NASA# NNM07AA27C

Program Goal: To develop a three-dimensional, quantum-confined solids
are being fabricated to demonstrate, solutions processible, thermoelectric cooler with increased efficiencies.

EO Systems

ADS Dual-Band IR Radiometer

USMC #M67854-04-C-6000 & M67854-02-C-1097

Program Goal: To develop and fabricate, in a two-phase program, a highly accurate, two-color (MWIR & LWIR) ratio radiometer for the Active Denial System (ADS). The system is capable of measuring 1°C absolute temperature accuracy over a variety of atmospheric conditions.

Future Night Vision System

AFRL #FA8650-05-C-6532 & FA8650-04-M-6484

Program Goal: To developing, In support of the Joint Strike Fighter program, a helmet-mounted solid-state wide field-of-view (100 degree) night vision goggle with visible and NIR response that is well-matched to the night sky radiation.

LADAR Spectro-polarimeter

AFRL #F08630-02-C-0052

Program Goal: To design and simulate the performance of a LADAR with an active spectropolarimetric capability that aids in the detection and identification of remote objects.

3-D LADAR Polarimeter

AFRL #F19628-03-C-0108

Program Goal: To design and simulate the performance of a Stokes-vector LADAR polarimeter.