Near-Noiseless Single-Photon Detection in the Infrared with a Megapixel Semiconductor Array for Low-Background Astronomy
Abstract
Sensor noise is a fundamental barrier to low-flux astronomical imaging and spectroscopy, where the ideal sensor would unambiguously distinguish individual photon arrivals. While optical semiconductor arrays can reach single-photon sensitivity, comparable performance in the infrared has largely required superconducting detectors. These must be operated at temperatures near absolute zero and require substantially more power, introducing major system-level challenges. HgCdTe avalanche photodiodes offer a semiconductor alternative by amplifying charge before readout, but dark current and tunneling effects have limited their use in the faintest regimes. Here we demonstrate single-photon-resolving operation in a megapixel-format HgCdTe linear-mode avalanche photodiode array operated at conventional cryogenic temperature. Avalanche gain raises photon-induced steps in non-destructive up-the-ramp data above the readout-noise floor while leaving the dark signal largely unamplified, with a false positive rate of approximately 2 false counts per thousand reads per pixel. These results establish LmAPDs as a promising route toward infrared photon-counting focal planes for future low-background astronomical observatories.
Related
- From Axion Detection to Dark Matter Astronomy
- Transitioning from ADS to SciX to Serve 21st Century Astronomy
- Neutrino Astronomy at High Energies - An Experimental Review
- The Promise of Gravitational-Wave Astronomy
- Institutional broadening of the Japanese astronomy and astrophysics research community during 1996-2025
BibTeX
@misc{huber2026nearnoiseless,
title = {{Near-Noiseless Single-Photon Detection in the Infrared with a Megapixel Semiconductor Array for Low-Background Astronomy}},
author = {Guillaume Huber and Pavaman Bilgi and Charles-Antoine Claveau and Shane Jacobson and Ian Baker and Daniel Owton and Vincent Isgar and Chris Maxey and Markus Loose and Michael Bottom},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.00799},
eprint = {2610.00799},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.00799},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Near-Noiseless Single-Photon Detection in the Infrared with a Megapixel Semiconductor Array for Low-Background Astronomy
AU - Guillaume Huber
AU - Pavaman Bilgi
AU - Charles-Antoine Claveau
AU - Shane Jacobson
AU - Ian Baker
AU - Daniel Owton
AU - Vincent Isgar
AU - Chris Maxey
AU - Markus Loose
AU - Michael Bottom
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.00799
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.00799
AB - Sensor noise is a fundamental barrier to low-flux astronomical imaging and spectroscopy, where the ideal sensor would unambiguously distinguish individual photon arrivals. While optical semiconductor arrays can reach single-photon sensitivity, comparable performance in the infrared has largely required superconducting detectors. These must be operated at temperatures near absolute zero and require substantially more power, introducing major system-level challenges. HgCdTe avalanche photodiodes offer a semiconductor alternative by amplifying charge before readout, but dark current and tunneling effects have limited their use in the faintest regimes. Here we demonstrate single-photon-resolving operation in a megapixel-format HgCdTe linear-mode avalanche photodiode array operated at conventional cryogenic temperature. Avalanche gain raises photon-induced steps in non-destructive up-the-ramp data above the readout-noise floor while leaving the dark signal largely unamplified, with a false positive rate of approximately 2 false counts per thousand reads per pixel. These results establish LmAPDs as a promising route toward infrared photon-counting focal planes for future low-background astronomical observatories.
ER -