Near-IR Enhanced CMOS Sensor for LADAR Imaging

Radiation Monitoring Devices, Inc. (RMD), in collaboration with Harvard University and Raytheon, proposes to develop a silicon-based focal plane array with single-photon responsivity at 1064-nm, with the goal of creating next-generation LADAR receivers. This Phase I effort will demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed idea by improving the near-infrared (NIR) single photon efficiency of RMD’s existing CMOS Geiger photodiodes (GPDs) pixels, and presenting a clear path for achieving a detection efficiency performance approaching that of InGaAs GPDs. The enhanced array will be able to operate with the same low noise characteristics of standard silicon GPD devices without the need for additional cooling. Integration with LADAR readout integrated circuits presently under development will be possible. Future systems will have the capability of utilizing on-focal plane integrated circuits fabricated with a single, low-cost CMOS process.