公开(公告)号：US11747195B2

公开(公告)日：2023-09-05

申请号：US17801004

申请日：2021-02-15

Applicant: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.

Inventor： Tatsuya Hashi ,  Shinya Iwashina ,  Takashi Baba ,  Shigeyuki Nakamura

IPC: G01J1/44 ,  G01S7/481 ,  G01S7/487 ,  G01S7/493 ,  H01L27/144

CPC classification number: G01J1/44 ,  G01S7/4816 ,  G01S7/4876 ,  G01S7/493 ,  H01L27/1446 ,  G01J2001/448 ,  G01J2001/4466

Abstract: In a light detection device, a circuit substrate includes a plurality of signal processing units which process a detection signal output from a corresponding pixel. Light-receiving regions of a plurality of avalanche photodiodes are two-dimensionally arranged for every pixel. In each of the signal processing units, a timing measurement unit measures timing at which light is incident on a corresponding pixel, based on the detection signal. An energy measurement unit measures energy of light incident on a corresponding pixel, based on the detection signal. A storage unit stores a measurement result in the timing measurement unit and the energy measurement unit. A light detection region where a plurality of the pixels are provided and a signal processing region where a plurality of the signal processing units are provided overlap each other at least at a part.

公开(公告)号：US11774283B2

公开(公告)日：2023-10-03

申请号：US16963303

申请日：2019-01-24

Applicant: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.

Inventor： Takashi Baba ,  Tatsuya Hashi ,  Yoshihito Suzuki ,  Kenji Makino ,  Shigeyuki Nakamura

IPC: G01J1/44 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01S17/894

CPC classification number: G01J1/44 ,  G01S7/4863 ,  G01S7/4865 ,  G01J2001/448 ,  G01J2001/4466 ,  G01S17/894

Abstract: A photodetector device includes an avalanche photodiode array substrate. A circuit substrate includes time measurement circuits and a clock driver. Each of the time measurement circuit includes a delay line unit, and is arranged to acquire, from an operation result of a delay line, time information indicating timing at which a pulse signal is input from a corresponding avalanche photodiode. The delay line unit is arranged to initiate an operation of the delay line in response to input of the pulse signal to the time measurement circuit, and to stop the operation of the delay line in response to input of a clock signal from a clock driver to the time measurement circuit, and is arranged to detect a time interval shorter than a cycle of the clock signal by the operation of the delay line.

公开(公告)号：US20240304644A1

公开(公告)日：2024-09-12

申请号：US18668750

申请日：2024-05-20

Applicant: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.

Inventor： Shinya IWASHINA ,  Shunsuke Adachi ,  Shigeyuki Nakamura ,  Terumasa Nagano ,  Ryutaro Tsuchiya

IPC: H01L27/146 ,  G01S7/497 ,  G01S17/89 ,  H01L31/107 ,  H04N25/766

CPC classification number: H01L27/14623 ,  H01L27/1463 ,  H01L27/14636 ,  H01L27/14643 ,  H01L27/14685 ,  H04N25/766 ,  G01S7/497 ,  G01S17/89 ,  H01L31/107

Abstract: Each of a plurality of cells includes at least one avalanche photodiode. A light projecting unit is arranged to project light having a cross-sectional shape whose longitudinal direction corresponds to a first direction. The light projecting unit is arranged to scan the light along a second direction intersecting the first direction such that the reflected light is incident on, among N cell groups each of which includes M cells aligned in a row direction, each cell group or each plurality of cell groups. A controller is arranged to apply, in accordance with the incidence of the reflected light, a bias voltage that makes the avalanche photodiode operate in a Geiger mode to each cell group or each plurality of cell groups, and is arranged to read signals from cells included in the cell group or the plurality of cell groups to which the bias voltage has been applied.

公开(公告)号：US11289614B2

公开(公告)日：2022-03-29

申请号：US16064165

申请日：2016-12-12

Applicant: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.

Inventor： Koei Yamamoto ,  Shigeyuki Nakamura ,  Terumasa Nagano ,  Kenichi Sato

IPC: H01L31/02 ,  H01L31/107 ,  G01J1/42 ,  H01L27/144 ,  G01J1/02 ,  H01L31/10 ,  H01L27/146 ,  G01T1/24 ,  H03K23/78 ,  H04N5/378

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion element includes: a plurality of pixels that are formed on a common semiconductor substrate and each of which includes an avalanche photodiode; a first line that is formed on the semiconductor substrate, is electrically connected to two or more first pixels included in the plurality of pixels, and collectively extracts output currents from the two or more first pixels; and a second line that is formed on the semiconductor substrate, is electrically connected to two or more second pixels included in the plurality of pixels, and collectively extracts output currents from the two or more second pixels. A light receiving area of each first pixel is larger than a light receiving area of each second pixel.

公开(公告)号：US11183608B2

公开(公告)日：2021-11-23

申请号：US16348187

申请日：2017-11-09

Applicant: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.

Inventor： Shigeyuki Nakamura ,  Shunsuke Adachi ,  Takashi Baba ,  Terumasa Nagano ,  Koei Yamamoto

IPC: H01L31/101 ,  H01L27/146 ,  H01L31/02 ,  H01L31/0256 ,  H04N5/378

Abstract: A photodetecting device includes a semiconductor photodetecting element including a plurality of pixels distributed two-dimensionally and a mount substrate including a plurality of signal processing units arranged to process output signals from the corresponding pixels. The semiconductor photodetecting element includes, for each of the pixels, a plurality of avalanche photodiodes arranged to operate in Geiger mode, a plurality of quenching resistors each electrically connected in series with a respective avalanche photodiodes, and a through-electrode electrically connected to the plurality of quenching resistors. Each of the signal processing units includes a current mirror circuit electrically connected to the plurality of avalanche photodiodes via the corresponding through-electrode and arranged to output a signal corresponding to output signals from the plurality of avalanche photodiodes. The number of signal processing units included on the mount substrate is more than the number of light receiving regions in each of the pixels.

公开(公告)号：US09989657B2

公开(公告)日：2018-06-05

申请号：US15335588

申请日：2016-10-27

Applicant: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.

Inventor： Shigeyuki Nakamura ,  Tsuyoshi Ohta ,  Michito Hirayanagi ,  Hiroki Suzuki ,  Shunsuke Adachi

IPC: G01T1/24 ,  G01T1/18 ,  H01L31/02

CPC classification number: G01T1/247 ,  G01T1/18 ,  H01L31/02027

Abstract: A readout circuit for reading out an output current from a photoelectric conversion element which collectively outputs currents generated in a plurality of pixels, each of which includes an avalanche photodiode, includes a current mirror circuit configured to receive the output current and output first and second currents having magnitudes in proportion to the output current, a photon counting circuit configured to count the number of photons incident on the photoelectric conversion element on the basis of the first current, an integral circuit configured to integrate the second current to generate a voltage signal, and a signal processing unit configured to determine a magnitude of light incident on the photoelectric conversion element on the basis of a counting result output from the photon counting circuit and a magnitude of the voltage signal output from the integral circuit.

公开(公告)号：US12021100B2

公开(公告)日：2024-06-25

申请号：US17258947

申请日：2019-06-06

Applicant: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.

Inventor： Shinya Iwashina ,  Shunsuke Adachi ,  Shigeyuki Nakamura ,  Terumasa Nagano ,  Ryutaro Tsuchiya

IPC: H04N25/766 ,  G01S7/497 ,  G01S17/89 ,  H01L27/146 ,  H01L31/107

CPC classification number: H01L27/14623 ,  H01L27/1463 ,  H01L27/14636 ,  H01L27/14643 ,  H01L27/14685 ,  H04N25/766 ,  G01S7/497 ,  G01S17/89 ,  H01L31/107

Abstract: Each of a plurality of cells includes at least one avalanche photodiode. A light projecting unit is arranged to project light having a cross-sectional shape whose longitudinal direction corresponds to a first direction. The light projecting unit is arranged to scan the light along a second direction intersecting the first direction such that the reflected light is incident on, among N cell groups each of which includes M cells aligned in a row direction, each cell group or each plurality of cell groups. A controller is arranged to apply, in accordance with the incidence of the reflected light, a bias voltage that makes the avalanche photodiode operate in a Geiger mode to each cell group or each plurality of cell groups, and is arranged to read signals from cells included in the cell group or the plurality of cell groups to which the bias voltage has been applied.

公开(公告)号：US11322635B2

公开(公告)日：2022-05-03

申请号：US16346929

申请日：2017-11-09

Applicant: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.

Inventor： Takashi Baba ,  Shunsuke Adachi ,  Shigeyuki Nakamura ,  Terumasa Nagano ,  Koei Yamamoto

IPC: H01L31/107 ,  H01L27/144 ,  H01L31/02 ,  G01J1/44

Abstract: A photodetecting device includes a semiconductor substrate including a one-dimensionally distributed plurality of pixels. The photodetecting device includes, for each pixel, a plurality of avalanche photodiodes arranged to operate in Geiger mode, a plurality of quenching resistors electrically connected in series with the respective avalanche photodiodes, and a signal processing unit arranged to process output signals from the plurality of avalanche photodiodes. Light receiving regions of the plurality of avalanche photodiodes are two-dimensionally distributed for each pixel. Each signal processing unit includes a gate grounded circuit and a current mirror circuit electrically connected to the gate grounded circuit. The gate grounded circuit is electrically connected to the plurality of avalanche photodiodes of the corresponding pixel via the plurality of quenching resistors. The current minor circuit is arranged to output a signal corresponding to output signals from the plurality of avalanche photodiodes.