Planar silicon SPADs with improved photon detection efficiency

We will report on our advances on the development of a new planar silicon SPAD with high photon detection efficiency (PDE) and good photon timing resolution. We will show that a 10 mu m thick epitaxial layer allows for the absorption of a significant fraction of the incident photons even at the longer wavelengths, while a suitable electric field profile limits the breakdown voltage value and the timing jitter. Simulations show that the new devices can attain a PDE higher than 30% at a wavelength of 800nm.