All-silicon avalanche photodiode sensitive at 1.3 mu m with picosecond time resolution

The first experimental demonstration that an all-silicon photodiode can be used to measure the pulse shape of laser diodes emitting at 1.3 mu m is reported. In order to allow for light absorption at these wavelengths, the bandgap narrowing phenomenon in heavily doped silicon is exploited. The device operates as a single photon detector in a time-correlated photon counting setup. The quantum efficiency of the detector (though only 10/sup -7/), together with the very low noise ( approximately=100 dark pulses per second) enable easy measurements on standard diode lasers. The use of standard silicon processing and the room-temperature operation are definite advantages of the device.>