Low-noise Single-photon Detection Research Articles

Dual anode single-photon avalanche diode for high-speed and low-noise Geiger-mode operation.

The after-pulsing effect is a common problem in high-speed and low-noise single-photon detection based on single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs). This article presents a dual anode InGaAs/InP SPAD (DA-SPAD) with two separate anode output ports that can be utilized for discriminating relatively weak avalanche signals, providing a simple and robust configuration of the SPAD-based single-photon detection system. Weak avalanche signals with amplitudes below the amplitude of the parasitic capacitive response of the SPAD were easily detected by the DA-SPAD and a simple subtraction circuit. The gated Geiger-mode performance of the DA-SPAD was also investigated. At a gating frequency of 1 GHz, the detection efficiency was 20.4% with an after-pulse probability of 3.5% at a temperature of -20 °C.

Quantum witness of high-speed low-noise single-photon detection.

We demonstrate high-speed and low-noise near-infrared single-photon detection by using a capacitance balancing circuit to achieve a high spike noise suppression for an InGaAs/InP avalanche photodiode. The single-photon detector could operate at a tunable gate repetition rate from 10 to 60 MHz. A peak detection efficiency of 34% has been achieved with a dark count rate of 9 × 10⁻³ per gate when the detection window was set to 1 ns. Additionally, quantum detector tomography has also been performed at 60 MHz of repetition rate and for the detection window of 1 ns, enabling to witness the quantum features of the detector with the help of a negative Wigner function. By varying the bias voltage of the detector, we further demonstrated a transition from the full-quantum to semi-classical regime.

Single-photon detection and its applications

A single-photon detector is an extremely sensitive device capable of registering photons, offering essential technical support for optics quantum information applications. We review herein our recent experimental progress in the development and application of single-photon detection techniques. Techniques based on advanced self-differencing, low-pass filtering, frequency up-conversion and photon-number-resolving are introduced for attaining high-speed, high-efficiency, low-noise single-photon detection at infrared wavelengths. The advantages of high-speed single-photon detection are discussed in some applications, such as the laser ranging and quantum key distribution. The photon-number-resolving detection is shown to support efficient quantum random number generation.

Laser measurements to space debris from Graz SLR station

In order to test laser ranging possibilities to space debris objects, the Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) Station Graz installed a frequency doubled Nd:YAG pulse laser with a 1kHz repetition rate, a pulse width of 10ns, and a pulse energy of 25mJ at 532nm (on loan from German Aerospace Center Stuttgart – DLR). We developed and built low-noise single-photon detection units to enable laser ranging to targets with inaccurate orbit predictions, and adapted our standard SLR software to include a few hundred space debris targets. With this configuration, we successfully tracked – within 13 early-evening sessions of each about 1.5h – 85 passes of 43 different space debris targets, in distances between 600km and up to more than 2500km, with radar cross sections from >15m2 down to <0.3m2, and measured their distances with an average precision of about 0.7m RMS.

Practical photon number detection with electric field-modulated silicon avalanche photodiodes

Low-noise single-photon detection is a prerequisite for quantum information processing using photonic qubits. In particular, detectors that are able to accurately resolve the number of photons in an incident light pulse will find application in functions such as quantum teleportation and linear optics quantum computing. More generally, such a detector will allow the advantages of quantum light detection to be extended to stronger optical signals, permitting optical measurements limited only by fluctuations in the photon number of the source. Here we demonstrate a practical high-speed device, which allows the signals arising from multiple photon-induced avalanches to be precisely discriminated. We use a type of silicon avalanche photodiode in which the lateral electric field profile is strongly modulated in order to realize a spatially multiplexed detector. Clearly discerned multiphoton signals are obtained by applying sub-nanosecond voltage gates in order to restrict the detector current.

Efficient and low-noise single-photon detection in 1550 nm communication band by frequency upconversion in periodically poled LiNbO_3 waveguides

We demonstrate 1500 nm band single-photon detection with low dark-count noise and a potentially high efficiency, which may allow long distance and high-bit-rate quantum key distribution. By developing frequency upconversion devices based on periodically poled lithium niobate waveguides, which are specifically designed to use a pump wavelength longer than that of communication-band photons, we completely eliminate the dark-count noise caused by parasitic nonlinear processes in the waveguide. We observed an internal conversion efficiency as high as 40% and demonstrated scaling down to the single photon level while maintaining a background dark-count rate of 10(2)s(-1).

Discharge Pulse Counting for Low-Noise Single-Photon Detection at 1550 nm Using InGaAs Avalanche Photodiode Cooled to 130 K

Low-noise single-photon detection at 1550 nm was demonstrated using an indium–gallium–arsenide avalanche photodiode cooled to 130 K. Discharge pulse counting was adopted for after-pulse-suppressed single-photon detection. The dark-count probability and after-pulse probability were 1.4×10-7 and 6.3×10-4, respectively, when the quantum efficiency was 10%. The repetition frequency of single-photon detection was 100 kHz.

Low-noise single-photon detection at wavelength 1.55 [micro sign

The photon-counting performance of commercially available InGaAs/InP avalanche photodiodes operated in Geiger mode was investigated at temperatures between 77 and 260 K. In particular, their noise equivalent power was measured to be 4/spl times/10/sup -17/ WHz/sup -1/2/ at 77 K. The implications of these results in the context of a quantum cryptography application are discussed.