Ultra-low-noise high-speed single-photon detection using a sinusoidally gated InGaAs/InP avalanche photodiode

Abstract

ABSTRACT We report an ultra-low-noise single-photon detection at 1550nm using a 1-GHz sinusoidally gated InGaAs/InP avalanche photodiode. The avalanche photodiode was op erated in a low temperature regime ( > 183 K) which can be achieved by a simple electrical cooling system. At 183 K, the dark count probability can be reduced to 2.0×10 -7 with a detection efficiency of 9.6 %, while the afterpulsing probability remained at a low value (3 %). Keywords: single-photon detection, telecommunication wavelength, InGaAs/InP avalanche photodiode 1. INTRODUCTION Single-photon detector at telecommunication wavelengths is the most important component to realize quantum key distribution (QKD). The single-photon detector can be applied to sensing and imaging technologies which require detecting extremely weak optical signals in near-infrared, as well. The single-photon detector in near-infrared has been developed by means of various ways, e.g. an InGaAs/InP avalanche photodiode (APD) in Geiger