APD focal plane arrays with backside vias

1. An article comprising a plurality of avalanche photodiodes (APDs), each APD comprising:

a substrate layer having a first surface proximal to a back side of the APD and a second surface, wherein, in operation, input light is received at the first surface of the substrate layer and propagates toward the second surface thereof;

a buffer layer having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface of the buffer layer abuts the second surface of the substrate layer;

active device layers, one surface of which abuts the second surface of the buffer layer; and

a via extending from the first surface of the substrate layer and passing at least partially through the substrate layer towards the second surface thereof extending, at most, to the first surface of the buffer layer, wherein the via is offset from the active device layers and does not deliver light to an active region of the active device layers.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein at least some of the vias are filled with transparent epoxy.

3. The article of claim 1 wherein the substrate layer comprises InP.

4. The article of claim 1 wherein the plurality of APDs are organized in a 2D array, wherein each APD in the 2D array is separated from one another by a front-side trench.

5. The article of claim 4 wherein each via is aligned with respective ones of the front-side trenches.

6. The article of claim 4 wherein each via does not align with respective ones of the front-side trenches.

7. The article of claim 1 wherein a minimum diameter of the via is less than a diameter of the active region of the APD.

8. The article of claim 4 wherein the vias form a continuous network throughout the substrate layer of the 2D array.

9. The article of claim 4 wherein the vias are discontinuous with respect to one another in the substrate layer of the 2D array.

10. The article of claim 1 further comprising a read-out integrated circuit, wherein the read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) and the APDs are electrically coupled.

11. The article of claim 10 further comprising a plurality of indium bumps, wherein each indium bump is used to couple an APD to the ROIC.

12. The article of claim 1 wherein the APDs are Geiger-mode APDs.

13. A method comprising:

providing a wafer, wherein the wafer comprises a substrate;

epitaxially growing active device layers on the substrate;

defining a plurality of APDs in a 2D array in the active device layers;

reducing a thickness of the substrate;

forming a plurality of vias in the substrate such that they do not extend fully therethrough, each via associated with a respective APD, wherein each via is offset from an active region of the associated APD;

filling at least some of the vias with transparent epoxy; and

attaching a read out integrated circuit to each APD.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the substrate comprises InP.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein forming the plurality of vias further comprises forming the vias such that each via is co-extensive with a neighboring via, the vias thereby forming a continuous network throughout the substrate.

16. A method comprising:

providing a wafer, wherein the wafer comprises a substrate;

epitaxially growing active device layers on the substrate;

defining a plurality of APDs in a 2D array in the active device layers;

forming front-side trenches on an opposite side of the active device layers from the substrate, wherein each APD in the 2D array is separated from one another by one of the front-side trenches

reducing a thickness of the substrate;

forming a plurality of vias in the substrate such that they do not extend fully therethrough, each via associated with a respective APD, wherein each via is offset from an active region of the associated APD; and

attaching a read out integrated circuit to each APD.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein forming the plurality of vias further comprises aligning the vias with the front-side trenches.

18. A method comprising:

providing a wafer, wherein the wafer comprises a substrate;

epitaxially growing active device layers on the substrate;

defining a plurality of APDs in a 2D array in the active device layers;

reducing a thickness of the substrate;

forming a plurality of vias in the substrate such that:

(a) they do not extend fully therethrough,

(b) a minimum diameter thereof is less than a diameter of the active region of the APDs, and wherein each via is associated with a respective APD, wherein each via is offset from an active region of the associated APD; and

attaching a read out integrated circuit to each APD.

19. A method comprising:

providing a wafer, wherein the wafer comprises a substrate;

epitaxially growing active device layers on the substrate;

defining a plurality of APDs in a 2D array in the active device layers;

reducing a thickness of the substrate;

forming a plurality of vias in the substrate such that they do not extend fully therethrough, each via associated with a respective APD, wherein each via is offset from an active region of the associated APD, and wherein each via is not co-extensive with a neighboring via, the vias thereby being discontinuous throughout the substrate; and

attaching a read out integrated circuit to each APD.