Advanced High Sensitivity Receiver Array Technology for 1550 nm Ladar Applications

For this SBIR project, Epitaxial Technologies will an innovative active sensor and associated ROIC technologies and demonstrate large format 128 x128 focal plane arrays (FPA) having simultaneously high single photon sensitivity, frame rates and effective bandwidths. In Phase I, we will design and fabricate an intermediate format (32 x 32) APD array and demonstrate that these devices are capable of high detection probabilities, high pixel bandwidth and high frame rates. In Phase II, we will design, build and test 128 x 128 arrays and photon counting ladar receivers with room temperature single photon detection probability greater than 80%, speed higher than 1.0 GHz, frame rate of 20 KHz and DCR lower than 10000 counts/sec. BENEFIT: This proposed project would result in the commercialization of large format (128 x 128 pixels), high dynamic range, and high frame-rate (20-kHz) sensor arrays with single photon-counting sensitivity levels and high reliability that are critical to the development of laser imaging ladar capabilities for airborne targeting and reconnaissance missions However, it will also be applicable in a wide variety of the DoD systems that require high detection probability single photon sensor technology including laser warning receivers, passive rangefinders, detectors of ordinance, gunfire, and rocket plumes, infrared counter measures, night vision imaging of military aircraft, space borne surveillance systems, and chemical sensing. Commercial applications include quantum cryptography, quantum repeaters and quantum imaging and for, astronomy, chemistry and microscopy, noninvasive measurement of the concentration of blood components such as glucose, cholesterol, hemoglobin, and albumin.