Real time noise detection method and system for photon counting pixel array comprising a mask material to yield blocked pixels from detecting reflected pulses of energy

1. A system including a single photon counting sensor array comprising:

one or more emitters configured to emit a plurality of pulses of energy;

a detector array comprising a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel comprises one or more detectors, a plurality of which are configured to receive reflected pulses of energy that were emitted by the one or more emitters; and

a mask material that is positioned to cover some but not all of the detectors of the plurality of pixels to yield blocked pixels and unblocked pixels so that each blocked pixel is prevented from detecting the reflected pulses of energy.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising;

a processor; and

a memory containing programming instructions that are configured to instruct the processor to:

receive characteristic data of signals received by the blocked pixels and the unblocked pixels, and

compare the characteristic data of the signals received by the blocked pixels with the characteristic data of the signals received by the unblocked pixels to determine a measurement of intrinsic noise in the detector array.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the single photon counting sensor array is an element of a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system in systems in which the distance between center points of adjacent pixels in the detector array is less than the crosstalk length.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein:

each detector comprises a photosensor that comprises:

a surface region of p-type semiconductor material that is positioned to receive light,

a drift region of n-type semiconductor material, and

a conductive trace that is connected to the surface region and positioned to serve as an anode for the photosensor;

the detector array comprises a substrate on which the photosensors are positioned, wherein the substrate is configured to function as a cathode for each of the photosensors; and

each blocked pixel has the mask material positioned over its surface region to block light from entering the blocked pixel.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein:

the detector array comprises a substrate that is configured to function as a cathode for each of the photosensors;

each of the photosensors comprises:

a metal window that extends through the substrate and is configured to receives light into the photosensor,

a region of n-type semiconductor material that is connected to the metal window,

a region of p-type semiconductor material that is connected to the region of n-type semiconductor material, and

a conductive trace that is connected to the region of p-type semiconductor material and positioned to serve as an anode for the photosensor; and

the mask material is positioned to cover the metal window of each blocked pixel.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the programming instructions that are configured to instruct the processor to compare the characteristic data of the signals received by the blocked pixels with the characteristic data of the signals received by the unblocked pixels to determine a measurement of intrinsic noise in the detector array comprise instructions to:

identify a superpixel comprising a group of the pixels in the detector array;

determine a total photon count rate received by the superpixel;

determine an avalanche count rate received by the unblocked pixels of the superpixel; and

determine the measurement of noise as a function of the total photon count rate and the avalanche count rate received by the unblocked pixels of the superpixel.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the function is:

λ

=

∑

i

=

1

N

⁢

⁢

λ

i

⁢

:

⁢

λ

i

=

βλ

S

(

i

)

+

βλ

bk

(

i

)

+

λ

n

(

i

)

in which:

λ=avalanche count rate as received by of the superpixel;

λ S (i) =a photon count rate resulting from reflected signal photons at photosensor i;

λ bk (i) =a photon count rate resulting from background signal photons (i.e., at detector i;

λ n (i) =avalanche count rate of intrinsic noise of detector i; and

β=photon detection efficiency.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a data recorder that is configured to receive the signals from the pixels and store the characteristic data corresponding to the received signals.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the mask material comprises metal.

10. The system of claim 2 , further comprising additional programming instructions that are configured to instruct the processor to measure health of the detector array by monitoring spatial variation, temporal variation, or both spatial and temporal variation of measured noise from blocked detectors.

11. The system of claim 2 , further comprising additional programming instructions that are configured to instruct the processor to apply a characterization function to estimate, in an intensity estimation, an amount of measurement bias caused by crosstalk.

12. A method of operating a single photon counting sensor array, the method comprising:

operating a LiDAR system that comprises:

one or more emitters configured to emit a plurality of pulses of energy,

a detector array comprising a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel comprises one or more detectors, a plurality of which are configured to receive reflected pulses of energy that were emitted by the one or more emitters, and

a mask material that is positioned to cover some but not all of the detectors of the plurality of pixels to yield blocked pixels and unblocked pixels so that each blocked pixel is prevented from detecting the reflected pulses of energy; and

by a processor:

receiving characteristic data of signals received by the blocked pixels and the unblocked pixels, and

comparing the characteristic data of the signals received by the blocked pixels with the characteristic data of the signals received by the unblocked pixels to determine a measurement of intrinsic noise in the detector array.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein:

each detector comprises a photosensor that comprises:

a surface region of p-type semiconductor material that is positioned to receive light,

a drift region of n-type semiconductor material, and

a conductive trace that is connected to the surface region and positioned to serve as an anode for the photosensor;

the detector array comprises a substrate on which the photosensors are positioned, wherein the substrate is configured to function as a cathode for each of the photosensors; and

each blocked pixel has the mask material positioned over its surface region to block light from entering the blocked pixel.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein:

the detector array comprises a substrate that is configured to function as a cathode for each of the photosensors;

each of the photosensors comprises:

a metal window that extends through the substrate and is configured to receives light into the photosensor;

a region of n-type semiconductor material that is connected to the metal window;

a region of p-type semiconductor material that is connected to the region of n-type semiconductor material; and

a conductive trace that is connected to the region of p-type semiconductor material and positioned to serve as an anode for the photosensor; and

the mask material is positioned to cover the metal window of each blocked pixel.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein comparing the characteristic data of the signals received by the blocked pixels with the characteristic data of the signals received by the unblocked pixels to determine a measurement of intrinsic noise in the detector array comprises:

identifying a superpixel comprising a group of the pixels in the detector array;

determining a total photon count rate received by the superpixel;

determining an avalanche count rate received by the unblocked pixels of the superpixel; and

determining the measurement of noise as a function of the total photon count rate and the avalanche count rate received by the unblocked pixels of the superpixel.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the function is:

λ

=

∑

i

=

1

N

⁢

⁢

λ

i

⁢

:

⁢

λ

i

=

βλ

S

(

i

)

+

βλ

bk

(

i

)

+

λ

n

(

i

)

in which:

λ=avalanche count rate as received by of the superpixel;

λ S (i) =a photon count rate resulting from reflected signal photons at photosensor i;

λ bk (i) =a photon count rate resulting from background signal photons (i.e., at detector i;

λ n (i) =avalanche count rate of intrinsic noise of detector i; and

β=photon detection efficiency.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising, by a data recorder:

receiving the signals from the pixels; and

storing the characteristic data corresponding to the received signals.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising, by the processor, measuring health of the detector array by monitoring spatial variation, temporal variation, or both spatial and temporal variation of measured noise from blocked detectors.

19. The method of claim 12 further comprising, by the processor, applying a characterization function to estimate, in an intensity estimation, an amount of measurement bias caused by crosstalk.

20. A non-transitory computer program product comprising a memory storing programming instructions that, when executed, will cause one or more processors to:

operate a LiDAR system that comprises:

one or more emitters configured to emit a plurality of pulses of energy,

a detector array comprising a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel comprises one or more detectors, a plurality of which are configured to receive reflected pulses of energy that were emitted by the one or more emitters, and

a mask material that is positioned to cover some but not all of the detectors of the plurality of pixels to yield blocked pixels and unblocked pixels so that each blocked pixel is prevented from detecting the reflected pulses of energy;

receive characteristic data of signals received by the blocked pixels and the unblocked pixels; and

compare the characteristic data of the signals received by the blocked pixels with the characteristic data of the signals received by the unblocked pixels to determine a measurement of intrinsic noise in the detector array.