Phlux Technology’s Aura 1550 nm avalanche photodiodes (APDs), which were introduced to the market in January 2024, are 12X more sensitive than other best-in-class InGaAs APDs. This means that the operating range of IR-based systems—range finders, LiDAR systems, and optical fiber test equipment, for example—can be immediately extended by up to 50% as well as offering accuracy and environmental stability. In new designs, it’s possible to reduce the power of the laser diode that produces IR pulses and simplify both the system optics and thermal management arrangements, thereby reducing product size and cost.
The performance of Noiseless InGaAs APDs is boosted by the addition of antimony alloy in the compound semiconductor fabrication process. This not only increases the sensitivity of the diodes but greatly improves their thermal stability, making them more environmentally robust.
The sensors are available as bare die or in industry-standard surface-mount or wire-ended packages, and so can be retrofitted to existing systems. The technology is cost-competitive for mass-market adoption.