CMOS driving circuit operating down to 77 K for single-photon emitting diode

Abstract

A fully-integrated CMOS driving circuit for single-photon emitting diodes in silicon, optimized for space applications, is presented. The electronics comprises two 10-bit DACs in order to precisely set the on and off voltages of the diode based on the measured temperature by an integrated temperature sensor. A large driving voltage range of 0-5 V guarantees the maximum flexibility in the working temperature range from 77 K to 300 K. The chip also contains a pulse generator, capable of driving the diode with short pulses down to 20 ns triggered by an external signal, which is essential in a single-photon light source. The integrated circuit is realized in standard 150-nm CMOS technology, with a chip area of 1.2 mm2 and a power consumption less than 6mW.