Development of avalanche-drift and avalanche-pixel detectors for single photon detection and imaging in the optical regime

A new avalanche detector concept is presented that promises very high (close to 100%) quantum efficiency. Integrating the structure into the centre of a drift diode one obtains a large area device that focuses the photoelectron onto a small “point-like” avalanche region. Such a device can be used as building block for a “silicon photomultiplier”. Implementing the structure into the output node of a pnCCD a pixel detector sensitive to single optical photons can be constructed.