Purpose of this master thesis is get acquainted with laboratory components designated for measurment of optical detectors, study principials of function of each detector and learn how to work with measuring machines. On the base of this knowledge will be measured spectral, frequency and dynamic characteristics of each detectors. The outcome of the thesis will draft of the laboratory exercise for subject Microscopy imaging technique teaching at the first semestr of follow-up masters studies of Biomedical engineering and bioinformatics at DBME, FEEC, Brno University of technology.

Abstract The goal of this work was to develop a CMOS receiver for a time-of-flight (TOF) laser rangefinder utilizing sub-ns pulses produced by a laser diode operating in gain switching mode (~ 1 nJ transmitter energy). This thesis also discusses the optical detector components and their usability with sub-ns optical pulses in laser rangefinding and the effect of the laser driver electronics on the shape of the sub-ns laser output, and eventually on the timing walk error of the laser rangefinder. The thesis presents the design of an integrated receiver channel IC intended for use in the pulsed TOF rangefinder. This is realized in a low-cost and consumer electronics-friendly CMOS technology (0.18 μm) and is based on a linear receiver and leading edge time discrimination. The measured walk error of the receiver is ~ 500 ps (4.5 cm in distance) within a 1:21,000 dynamic range. The measured jitter of the leading edge, affecting the single-shot precision of the radar, was ~ 12 ps (1.6 mm in distance) at an SNR > 200. In addition, a pulsed TOF rangefinder using the receiver IC developed here was designed and used for demonstrating the possibility of measuring tiny vibrations in a distant non-cooperative target. The radar was used successfully to observe 10 Hz vibrations in a non-cooperative target with an amplitude of 1.5 mm (sub-mm precision after averaging) at a distance of ~ 2 m. One important result was the demonstration of a difference in walk error behaviour between MOSFET and avalanche BJT-based laser pulse transmitters. The practicability of an integrated CMOS AP detector in sub-ns laser rangefinding was also studied. / Tiivistelmä Työn tavoitteena oli kehittää CMOS-vastaanotin valon kulkuaikamittaukseen perustuvaan laseretäisyysmittariin, joka hyödyntää ”gain-switching”-tekniikalla toimivan laserdiodin (~ 1 nJ energia) tuottamia alle nanosekuntiluokan laserpulsseja. Väitöskirja tutkii myös valovastaanotinkomponenttien käyttökelpoisuutta alle nanosekuntiluokan laserpulsseja hyödyntävässä laseretäisyysmittauksessa. Työssä tutkitaan myös laserdiodilähettimen elektroniikan vaikutusta alle nanosekuntiluokan laserpulssien muotoon ja lopulta niiden vaikutusta systemaattiseen ajoitusvirheeseen laseretäisyysmittauksessa. Väitöskirja esittelee suunnitellun valopulssin kulkuaikamittaukseen perustuvaan laseretäisyysmittariin soveltuvan integroidun vastaanotinkanavan IC-piirin. Se on toteutettu halvalla, kulutuselektroniikkaan soveltuvalla CMOS tekniikalla (0,18 μm) ja se perustuu lineaariseen vastaanottimeen ja nousevan reunan ilmaisuun. Vastaanottimen mitattu systemaattinen ajoitusvirhe on ~ 500 ps (4,5 cm matkassa) 1:21 000 signaalivoimakkuuden vaihtelualueella. Vastaanottimesta mitattu laseretäisyysmittarin kertamittaustarkkuuteen vaikuttava nousevan reunan satunnainen ajoitusepävarmuus oli ~ 12 ps (1.6 mm matkassa) signaalikohinasuhteella > 200. Lisäksi tässä työssä toteutettiin kehitettyä vastaanotin-IC piiriä hyödyntävä valopulssin kulkuaikamittaukseen perustuva etäisyysmittari, jolla kyettiin havainnollistamaan mahdollisuutta mitata pientä tärinää kaukaisessa passiivisessa kohteessa. Tutkalla onnistuttiin havainnoimaan 1,5 mm vaihteluväliltään olevaa 10 Hz tärinä ~ 2 m etäisyydellä olevasta kohteesta. Väitöskirjan yksi tärkeä tulos oli havainnollistaa systemaattisessa ajoitusvirheessä havaittava ero MOSFET-transistoriin ja vyöry-BJT-transistoriin perustuvan laserpulssilähettimen välillä. Integroidun CMOS AP vastaanotinkomponentin käyttökelpoisuus alle nanosekuntiluokan laseretäisyysmittauksessa tutkittiin myös.

In this thesis, a detailed study of the electrical and optical characterisations of Heterojuction Bipolar Transistors (HBTs) for optical detection is presented. By comparing both DC and optical characterisations between In0.49Ga0.51P/GaAs Single Heterojuction Bipolar Transistors (SHBTs) and Double Heterojuction Bipolar Transistors (DHBTs), the advantages of using the DHBT as a short wavelength detector are shown. Phenomena related to the base region energy band bending in the DHBT caused by a self-induced effective electric field is discussed and its effects on the performance of the device are elaborated. The use of an eye diagram has been employed to provide requisite information for performance qualification of SHBT/DHBT devices. These give a more detailed understanding compared to conventional S-parameters method. A detailed comparison of In0.49Ga0.51P/GaAs SHBT and DHBT performance using an eye diagram as a functional tool by adopting a modified T-shaped small signal equivalent circuit are given. By adopting this modified T-shaped small signal equivalent circuit, the use of In0.49Ga0.51P/GaAs Double Heterojuction Phototransistors (DHPT) as a short wavelength photodetector is analysed. It is therefore shown that an eye diagram can act as a powerful tool in HBTs/HPTs design optimisations, for the first time in this work. In order to predict the spectral response (SR) and optical characterisations of GaAs-based HPTs, a detailed theoretical absorption model is also presented. The layer dependence of an optical flux absorption profile, along with doping dependent absorption coefficients are taken into account for the optical characterisation prediction. With the aim of eliminating the limitation of current gain as a prerequisite, analytical modelling of SR has been developed by resolving the continuity equation and applying realistic boundary conditions. Then, related physical parameters and a layer structure profile are used to implement simulations. A good agreement with the measured results of the Al0.3Ga0.7As/GaAs HPT is shown validating the proposed theoretical model.

This project arose from the need to filter the sampled data and eliminate non-useful information in Serial Crystallography in Microfluidic Device (MFD)by using a portable optical detector placed around the channel. By testing sixteen different configurations, always using an LED as a source and a photodiode as a light sensor, changes in the channel due to the passage of air bubbles were detected. These changes corresponded to a 13,25% in relation to the changes due to light switching, with a gain factor of 10,11V/V. However, it was not sensitive enough to detect when a microcrystal passed through it, although it can detect bubbles and opens the door to design such sensors for these applications in the future.