Temperature and non-uniformity compensation circuitry for silicon photomultiplier
US10834345B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 20, 2019 |
| Grant date | Nov 10, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 20, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10F77/959
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An imaging device may include an active silicon photomultiplier and associated temperature and non-uniformity compensation circuitry configured to mitigate temperature and process variations on the device. The compensation circuitry may include a reference silicon photomultiplier, a constant current source that supplies a fixed current into the reference silicon photomultiplier, a voltage sensor for detecting a voltage output from the reference silicon photomultiplier, a data converter for converting the voltage output from the voltage sensor, and a voltage controller for generating an adjustable voltage for biasing the active silicon photomultiplier depending on the signal output from the data converter. The active silicon photomultiplier may include multiple illuminated microcells covered by microlenses, whereas the reference silicon photomultiplier may include multiple dark microcells distributed among the illuminated microcells to help account for non-uniformities in microcell performance across the imaging device.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.