High-photon-detection-efficiency silicon avalanche photodiode with charge-sensitive amplifier

Abstract

High-efficiency photon counters are critical in quantum optics applications and, in particular, in optical quantum information science, where imperfect photon detection can introduce significant errors in quantum communication or quantum processing. It was recently reported that superconducting transition edge sensors have a high photon detection efficiency of more than 95% [1,2]; however, these photon detectors have a few disadvantages, e.g., their small active area, which covers less than 20 × 20 µm2, and the requirement for ultralow temperatures. By contrast, avalanche photodiodes (APDs) have active areas lager than 200 µm across and can be conveniently operated between room temperature and liquid nitrogen temperature. However, the best photon detection efficiency reported for a silicon (Si) APD is still only 76.4% [3], with almost no progress seen since the 1990s. In this work, we developed a high-photon detection efficiency photon counter based on a Si APD with a low-noise charge-sensitive amplifier.