Direction of arrival sensing enabled by introducing asymmetric surface structures in photodetectors

Amita Rawat; M. Saif Islam

doi:10.1117/12.3003432

11 March 2024 Direction of arrival sensing enabled by introducing asymmetric surface structures in photodetectors

Amita Rawat, M. Saif Islam

Proceedings Volume 12880, Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices XXXII; 128800R (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3003432
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2024, San Francisco, California, United States

Conference Poster

Abstract

Lately, the need for multi-feature photodetectors has created a rigor among researchers and academicians to explore the light-matter interaction beyond carrier generation and photon detection. The introduction of surface plasmon structures or photon trapping structures for wavelength selective absorption enhancement has been widely exploited. Researchers are exploring meta-materials for polarization and Direction of Arrival (DoA) sensing. However, there still is an unmet need for an in-built DoA capability in a photodetector compatible with the complementary metal oxide semiconductor fabrication process. In this work, we propose an asymmetric surface structure-equipped photodetector capable of sensing the DoA of the photon in addition to standard photon detection. We present a detailed Finite Difference Time Domain Lumerical simulation-based surface structure design for precise detection of the incidence angle (θ) and angle of azimuth (Φ). The presence of the grated surface structures facilitates an asymmetric electromagnetic (EM) wave incidence and interaction and results in a change in the responsivity with the DoA. Using the detailed absorption profile simulated for a range of wavelengths, θ and Φ, and the function regression model, we have devised a framework to predict the DoA, i.e., θ and Φ. The proposed framework predicts the DoA accurately with an introduced signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) ≥160 dB and the predictions become indistinguishable for an SNR ≤100 dB. Such direction-sensitive photodetectors in combination with function regression models can revolutionize the field of object tracking in defense, indoor positioning in factories, wireless communication, and solar tracking.

(2024) Published by SPIE. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Citation Download Citation

Amita Rawat and M. Saif Islam "Direction of arrival sensing enabled by introducing asymmetric surface structures in photodetectors", Proc. SPIE 12880, Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices XXXII, 128800R (11 March 2024); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3003432

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