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Silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) have been widely used in the field of weak light detection. However, SiPMs utilizing small-sized Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode (G-APD) cells face the limitations due to a restricted effective geometric fill sactor (GFF), which leads to relatively low photon detection efficiency (PDE), and additionally, constrained by the intrinsic properties of silicon materials, their PDE in the near-infrared band is also relatively insufficient. To address the above issues, this work proposes a regional optical field modulation approach based on topological photonic crystals (TPCs), aiming to improve the PDE of SiPMs without modifying their internal structure. Through COMSOL electromagnetic wave frequency-domain simulation, the multi-band synergistic mechanism of dead-zone topological edge state guidance, photosensitive region slow-light effect, and Bragg scattering is revealed. In the 460–700 nm band, the honeycomb lattice in the dead zone induces topological edge states via Floquet periodic analysis, while the periodic dielectric distribution of the lattice excites Bragg scattering to reduce photon reflection loss at the metal surface and precisely couples photons to the photosensitive region, leading to an increase in effective GFF from 46.4% to 63.1% at 621 nm. In the 700–1100 nm band, the periodic dielectric distribution of the honeycomb lattice further excites Bragg resonance to reduce metal surface reflection loss, and simultaneously, the multiple scattering mechanism substantially extends the propagation path of photons in the dead zone to improve the coupling probability with the photosensitive region. The designed periodic silicon pillar structure in the photosensitive region effectively extends the lateral propagation path of photons through the slow-light effect, while Bragg scattering reduces reflection loss, resulting in a significant increase in absorption efficiency from 41.19% to 51.37% at 900 nm. Simulation results show that this design scheme increases the average PDE of SiPMs by 50% in the 460–1100 nm band (with a peak value of 81%) and can be implemented via mainstream etching processes (electron beam lithography + reactive ion etching). Compared with traditional microlens and plasmonic structures, TPCs exhibit significant advantages in broad-spectrum response and process simplification. This work provides a new topological photonics approach for photon recycling and PDE enhancement of SiPMs.
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Keywords:
- silicon photomultiplier /
- photon detection efficiency /
- topological photonic crystal /
- slow-light effect
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图 1 SiPM表面构建拓扑光子晶体原理示意图 (a) SiPM三维结构示意图; (b) 近距离俯视图; (c) 拓扑绝缘光子晶体示意图(近距离); (d) 表面具有拓扑光子晶体的SiPM二维剖面示意图; (e) TPC二维晶格示意图; (f) Floquet周期性分析示意图; (g) 光子在TPC中传播示意图
Figure 1. Schematic diagrams of the principle of constructing topological photonic crystals on the surface of SiPM: (a) Schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of SiPM; (b) close-up top view; (c) schematic diagram of topological insulating photonic crystal (close-up); (d) two-dimensional cross-sectional schematic diagram of SiPM with topological photonic crystals on the surface; (e) schematic diagram of TPC two-dimensional lattice; (f) schematic diagram of Floquet periodicity analysis; (g) schematic diagram of photon propagation in TPC.
图 2 拓扑绝缘光子晶体单个晶格结构的能带图 (a) R = a0/3; (b) R = a0/2.9; (c) R = a0/3.1; (d) 边界态; (e) 布拉格散射体态; (f) 纯体态电场模分布(单位: V)
Figure 2. Energy band diagrams of a single lattice structure of topological insulating photonic crystals: (a) R = a0/3; (b) R = a0/2.9; (c) R = a0/3.1; (d) boundary state; (e) Bragg scattering bulk state; (f) electric field mode distribution of pure bulk state (unit: V).
图 3 三维仿真结构图 (a) 几何建模; (b) 光子晶体电场模分布(单位: V)
Figure 3. Three-dimensional simulation structure diagrams: (a) Geometric modeling; (b) electric field mode distribution of photonic crystals (unit: V).
图 4 不同波长下死区构建TPC的电场模分布图(单位: V) (a) 450 nm; (b) 550 nm; (c) 621 nm; (d) 650 nm; (e) 700 nm; (f) 800 nm; (g) 900 nm; (h) 1100 nm; (i) 621 nm波长下的边界态传播
Figure 4. Electric field mode distribution diagrams of TPC constructed in the dead zone (unit: V) at different wavelengths: (a) 450 nm; (b) 550 nm; (c) 621 nm; (d) 650 nm; (e) 700 nm; (f) 800 nm; (g) 900 nm; (h) 1100 nm; (i) boundary state propagation at 621 nm wavelength.
图 5 不同波长下光敏区构建TPC的电场模分布图(单位: V) (a) 460 nm; (b) 550 nm; (c) 650 nm; (d) 700 nm; (e) 900 nm; (f) 1100 nm
Figure 5. Electric field mode distribution diagrams of TPC constructed in the photosensitive region (unit: V) at different wavelengths: (a) 460 nm; (b) 550 nm; (c) 650 nm; (d) 700 nm; (e) 900 nm; (f) 1100 nm.
图 6 增强系数随波长变化的曲线
Figure 6. Curve of enhancement factor varying with wavelength.
图 7 表面有无拓扑光子晶体结构的SiPM的PDE曲线对比
Figure 7. Comparison of PDE curves of SiPM with and without surface topological photonic crystal structure.
图 8 表面集成TPC的SiPM制作工艺流程图
Figure 8. Flow chart of the manufacturing process of SiPM with surface-integrated TPC.
表 2 硅柱直径刻蚀误差对SiPM PDE的影响
Table 2. Influences of silicon pillar diameter etching errors on SiPM PDE.
硅柱直径
偏差621 nm处
有效GFF/%900 nm处
吸收效率/%460—1100 nm波段
PDE 平均提升/%无误差
(原设计)63.10 51.37 50 ±5 nm 61.46 49.85 48.5 ±10 nm 59.29 48.27 46.8 
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