A new modeling and simulation method for important statistical performance prediction of single photon avalanche diode detectors

This paper presents a new modeling and simulation method to predict the important statistical performance of single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detectors, including photon detection efficiency (PDE), dark count rate (DCR) and afterpulsing probability (AP). Three local electric field models are derived for the PDE, DCR and AP calculations, which show analytical dependence of key parameters such as avalanche triggering probability, impact ionization rate and electric field distributions that can be directly obtained from Geiger mode Technology Computer Aided Design (TCAD) simulation. The model calculation results are proven to be in good agreement with the reported experimental data in the open literature, suggesting that the proposed modeling and simulation method is very suitable for the prediction of SPAD statistical performance.