Si-APD single-photon detector with high stability based on auto-compensation of temperature drift

The avalanche voltage of the Si avalanche photodiode (Si-APD) is temperature sensitive, which greatly limits the practical application of the single-photon detector based on Si-APD for the all-weather operation in field. A technology is developed to guarantee stable working of the Si-APD single-photon detector with a wide-range environmental temperature tolerance. The digital bias voltage auto-compensation technique is combined with the refrigeration, which can automatically compensate the operation temperature drift and maintain a stable avalanche gain of the Si-APD. The experiment proves that the single-photon detector with this technology can work stably in the temperature range from -4 0 °C to 4 5 °C. The experimental result indicates that by using the proposed autocompensation technique, the Si-APD single-photon detector has the ability of stable working in the outfield with great change of temperature. The single-photon detection technology with high stability can be provided for the photon counting laser measurement of the airborne and satellite-borne.