1.06 Micron Sensor Array for Track and Receive.
Abstract
The development of a 12-element array of inverted heterojunction III-V alloy microwave avalanche photodiodes for use for data detection and tracking in a 10 to the 9th power bit/second satellite-to-satellite 10.06 micron laser communications system is reported. The three arrays delivered under the terms of this contract have quantum efficiencies (constant from dc to microwave) of about 95% at the 1.064 Nd-YAG laser line, narrow band photoresponse characteristics (750A FWHM), extremely low capacitance (0.3pf/inner quadrant element), very short transit times (<100ps), and low leakage currents. Microwave avalanche gains up to 15db were measured on these arrays, with all of this gain available before the onset of excess detector noise. By virtue of their high quantum efficiencies, even with their present gain levels and 'off-the-shelf' 50 OHM preamps these devices should considerably outperform any other available 1.06 micron detector for gigabit data reception; however, this effort did not include performance measurements in a communications system. With an optimized preamplifier design, data reception with under 1000 photons/bit at the detector should be possible, or even less as higher gains are achieved with these devices. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1973
- Accession Number
- AD0915934
Entities
People
- Richard C. Eden