The Study On Laser Active Detection Utilizing Si PM Photon Counter

High photon detection efficiency and high quantum efficiency are long pursuing object in ultra-weak light detection. Recently Si PM is widely used in modern scientific research for its unique principle in photon counting, making it one of the principal all-solid-state photon counting devices. Compared with the traditional photon counting appliance, Si PM has the advantage of high gain, high detection efficiency, wide dynamic range, low polarization voltage, low power consumption and high reliability, and numerous applications on laser ranging technology, laser radar, ultrafast spectroscopy, quantum optics, atomic physics etc.This thesis mainly focused on the performance of Multi-Pixel Photon Counter, one of the Si PM, utilizing the method combining the theory simulation and experimental research. The main content includes the follows:（1）. Introducing technology and development status of Si PM, detailed introduction on the scientific research with the application of Si PM is given out both home and abroad;（2）. Study on the structure and constitution of Si PM. A thorough discussion is performed on the principle of Si PM. The theory modeling on the gain characterization of G-APD, the basic unit of Si PM, is carried out, and some explanations about the noise feature and relative key parameters are given out.（3）. Experiment results indicated that MPPC can detect as low as 1.665 and 4.201 photons respectively, had the energy resolution up to 1.96×10^-18J , achieved the resolvable photon up to 14 photons per time, all these above illustrate that MPPC have perfect photon resolve ability. Put forward the idea that using MPPC as the detector in laser ranging application, some experiments were carried out in laboratory, because the rising time of MPPC was unstable, we proposed using algorithm of multi-pulse accumulation and autocorrelation in the data processing, and got the ranging accuracy up to 0.2m, the detection sensitivity was 3.0×10^-18J. Using this method, the MPPC as a detector has the ability to realize long distance, high accuracy laser ranging.（4）. The relationship of the polarization voltage versus time was simulated, the results indicated that increasing the polarization voltage can fasten the response of MPPC, the results also told that increasing the polarization voltage alone could not decrease the dead time, and couldn’t promote the response frequency either. Similarly, increasing the polarization voltage could also increase the amplitude of output pulse, made the signal easy detect.（5）. Based on the laser ranging experiment using MPPC, proposed that MPPC can be used to detect the space non-cooperative target in complex environment, according to the analysis on received signal, background noise, atmosphere influence, receive optics and laser key parameter, calculated the relationship of signal to noise ratio and the distance of non-cooperative target, the result indicated that MPPC had the ability detecting the low-orbit non-cooperative satellite in 600km range.