InGaAs avalanche photodiode thermometry

The infrared detector is the most important component within any radiation thermometry-based system, with its choice determining the wavelength, response time and, ultimately, the temperature measurement capabilities of the instrument. To improve upon the existing generation of radiation thermometers, more sensitive detector technologies are required. In this work, we demonstrate a direct comparison between an indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) photodiode and an InGaAs avalanche photodiode (APD) for 1.6 µm radiation thermometry. The high internal gain of the InGaAs APD increases the sensitivity of the radiation thermometer, enabling the measurement of a target temperature more than 50 °C lower than is typical with commercially available InGaAs photodiode thermometers. The more sensitive InGaAs APD provides faster response time measurements, hence improving the thermometer's temporal resolution. Finally, the InGaAs APD is shown to produce a quantitative thermal image with lower measured temperature fluctuation across the scene when incorporated within a highly aperture limited scanning system.