A Wireless Probe Based on a Dual-Tier CMOS SPAD Array for Charged Particle Detection

This paper presents the design of a novel low-energy particle probe based on single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) detectors. The APIX2LF sensor chip contains a vertically interconnected, dual-tier SPAD array with passive quenching fabricated in a 150 nm CMOS standard technology. A microcontroller interfaces with the SPAD detector and sends pre-processed data to the PC wirelessly. A graphical user interface makes it possible to read and plot data in real-time. The system can be USB or battery powered making the probe easy to use in many different environments.