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Photonics Dictionary

APD detector

An APD detector, or avalanche photodiode detector, is a type of photodetector used to detect light or optical signals by converting incoming photons into electrical current. It operates based on the principle of avalanche multiplication, which allows it to achieve higher sensitivity compared to conventional photodiodes.

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In an APD detector, incoming photons generate electron-hole pairs within the semiconductor material, typically silicon or germanium. These electron-hole pairs are then accelerated by a high electric field within the detector, causing impact ionization, where additional electron-hole pairs are generated as a result of collisions. This process leads to an exponential multiplication of carriers, resulting in a significant increase in the electrical signal generated by the detector for a given amount of incident light.

The avalanche multiplication process enables APD detectors to achieve higher gain and sensitivity compared to conventional photodiodes, making them well-suited for applications requiring low light detection or high-speed detection, such as optical communication systems, lidar systems, fluorescence spectroscopy, and quantum optics experiments.

APD detectors are available in various configurations, including single-element detectors and array detectors, and can operate in different spectral ranges depending on the semiconductor material used and the design of the detector.
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