Detection of deep-red low-level light pulses

Abstract

Detection of light pulses with high reliability (missed and false pulse probabilities of <10−4) by the best available detectors is shown to require detector current pulses containing at least thirty-three electrons. For deep-red (900-nm) light, this requires light pulses containing at least 660 photons. A large area (5.1-cm2) avalanche photodiode has been evaluated and has been found to be comparable with photomultipliers for deep-red pulse lightwave communication.