Grants and Contributions:
Title:
Next Generation Single-Photon Detectors
Agreement Number:
1040899
Agreement Value:
$456,830.00
Agreement Date:
Mar 18, 2026 - Mar 31, 2028
Description:
The Project goal is to enhance the single-photon detection efficiency of semiconductor single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) in the shortwave infrared region by integrating metasurface designs with the high quality InGaAs/InP APD heterostructures grown at NRC. The Project’s metasurface design, based on an array of semiconductor nanostructures, allows for enhancing the absorption efficiency and controlling the spatial absorption profile within a thinner absorption region than conventional SPADs. These features of metasurface SPADs will enable enhanced single-photon detection efficiency of ~80%, while also improving the timing resolution by an order of magnitude to tens of picoseconds. Surface passivation techniques will be developed for the metasurface SPAD device architecture to achieve the proposed device metrics. The portable, metasurface-based SPADs with enhanced efficiency and timing resolution impacts a broad range of applications including quantum lidar and imaging, quantum sensing, quantum networks, and defense.
Organization:
National Research Council Canada
Expected Results:
In the short term, anticipated outcomes will be strengthened collaborations across industry, academia, and government to support research excellence. In the medium term, anticipated outcomes will be the development of new and potentially disruptive technologies with collaborators. In the long term, find collaborative solutions to public policy challenges and create stronger innovation systems.
Location:
Waterloo, Ontario, CA N2L 3G1
Reference Number:
172-2025-2026-Q4-1040899
Agreement Type:
Grant
Report Type:
Grants and Contributions
Recipient Business Number:
119260685
Recipient Type:
Academia
Recipient's Legal Name:
University of Waterloo
Federal Riding Name:
Waterloo
Federal Riding Number:
35114
Program:
Collaborative Science, Technology and Innovation Program - Collaborative R&D Initiatives
Program Purpose:
Collaborate on multiparty research and development programs to catalyze transformative, high-risk, high-reward research with the potential for game-changing scientific discoveries and technological breakthroughs in priority areas.
NAICS Code:
541710 - R&D in the physical, engineering and life sciences