An accurate behavioral model for single-photon avalanche diode statistical performance simulation

作者：Xu, Yue^*; Zhao, Tingchen; Li, Ding

来源：Superlattices and Microstructures, 2018, 113: 635-643.

DOI：10.1016/j.spmi.2017.11.049

• Single-photon avalanche diodes
• Behavioral simulation model
• Dark counts
• After-pulsing
• Verilog-A hardware description language

An accurate behavioral model is presented to simulate important statistical performance of single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs), such as dark count and after-pulsing noise. The derived simulation model takes into account all important generation mechanisms of the two kinds of noise. For the first time, thermal agitation, trap-assisted tunneling and band-to-band tunneling mechanisms are simultaneously incorporated in the simulation model to evaluate dark count behavior of SPADs fabricated in deep sub-micron CMOS technology. Meanwhile, a complete carrier trapping and de-trapping process is considered in after pulsing model and a simple analytical expression is derived to estimate after-pulsing probability. In particular, the key model parameters of avalanche triggering probability and electric field dependence of excess bias voltage are extracted from Geiger-mode TCAD simulation and this behavioral simulation model doesn't include any empirical parameters. The developed SPAD model is implemented in Verilog-A behavioral hardware description language and successfully operated on commercial Cadence Spectre simulator, showing good universality and compatibility. The model simulation results are in a good accordance with the test data, validating high simulation accuracy.

• 出版日期2018-1
• 单位南京邮电大学