In August 2026, Prof. Alberto Tosi (POLIMI) delivered an invited talk at the Canadian Semiconductor Science and Technology Conference, presenting recent progress in Single-Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) technologies across the visible to shortwave infrared (SWIR) spectral range.

The presentation highlighted the critical role of SPAD detectors as an enabling technology for photon-counting applications. Prof. Tosi detailed the design, fabrication, and experimental characterization of both InGaAs/InP SPAD devices and CMOS-based SPAD arrays. Key performance metrics (including timing jitter, photon detection efficiency, and maximum count rates) were analyzed alongside the front-end readout electronics required to optimize detector operation.

Because SPADs provide picosecond-scale temporal resolution for individual photon detection, these advances directly support next-generation quantum communication systems, non-line-of-sight imaging, and quantum LiDAR. The work presented underscores POLIMI’s contributions within the QPIC1550 consortium toward developing high-performance single-photon photodetectors integrated into scalable quantum photonic architectures.