US 12,249,669 B2
High sensitivity single-photon avalanche diode array
Michel Ivan Antolovic, Lausanne (CH); Claudio Bruschini, Villars-Sous-Yens (CH); and Edoardo Charbon, Jouxtens-Mezery (CH)
Assigned to Ecole Polytechnique Federale De Lausanne, Lausanne (CH)
Appl. No. 17/774,045
Filed by ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNE (EPFL), Lausanne (CH)
PCT Filed Nov. 4, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/080135
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 3, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/089115, PCT Pub. Date May 14, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0384671 A1, Dec. 1, 2022
Int. Cl. H01L 27/146 (2006.01); G02B 19/00 (2006.01); G02B 21/00 (2006.01); H01L 31/107 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 31/1075 (2013.01) [G02B 19/0076 (2013.01); G02B 21/008 (2013.01); H01L 27/14627 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A microscopic system with an optical system and a photodetector array for capturing image data, wherein the photodetector array comprises:
photodetector cells arranged on a substrate, each including a single-photon avalanche diode, wherein the active areas of the photodetector cells are neighbored along a hexagonal grid;
microlenses, having a hexagonal or circular shape, each arranged on one photodetector cell to focus light onto the photodiode;
wherein at least one of the microlenses has a circular shape, wherein the radius of the microlens is by a factor of 3 to 20 larger than the radius of the active area of the photodiode.