82 research outputs found
SiPM used as fast Photon-Counting Module and for Multiphoton Detection
We demonstrate fast counting and multiphoton detection abilities of a Silicon
Photo Multiplier (SiPM). In fast counting mode we are able to detect two
consecutive photons separated by only 2.3 ns corresponding to 430 MHz. The
counting efficiency for small optical intensities at a wavelength of 532 nm was
found to be around 8.3% with a dark count rate of 50 kHz at T=-7 degrees
Celsius. Using the SiPM in multiphoton detection mode, we find a good signal
discrimination for different numbers of simultaneous detected photons.Comment: 11 pages, 13 figure
Photon Counting OTDR : Advantages and Limitations
We give detailed insight into photon counting OTDR (nu-OTDR) operation,
ranging from Geiger mode operation of avalanche photodiodes (APD), analysis of
different APD bias schemes, to the discussion of OTDR perspectives. Our results
demonstrate that an InGaAs/InP APD based nu-OTDR has the potential of
outperforming the dynamic range of a conventional state-of-the-art OTDR by 10
dB as well as the 2-point resolution by a factor of 20. Considering the trace
acquisition speed of nu-OTDRs, we find that a combination of rapid gating for
high photon flux and free running mode for low photon flux is the most
efficient solution. Concerning dead zones, our results are less promising.
Without additional measures, e.g. an optical shutter, the photon counting
approach is not competitive.Comment: 12 pages, 13 figures, accepted for publication by IEEE Journal of
Lightwave Technolog
Analytical models of probability distribution and excess noise factor of Solid State Photomultiplier signals with crosstalk
Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPM), also so-called Solid State Photomultipliers
(SSPM), are based on Geiger mode avalanche breakdown limited by strong negative
feedback. SSPM can detect and resolve single photons due to high gain and
ultra-low excess noise of avalanche multiplication in this mode. Crosstalk and
afterpulsing processes associated with the high gain introduce specific excess
noise and deteriorate photon number resolution of the SSPM. Probabilistic
features of these processes are widely studied because of its high importance
for the SSPM design, characterization, optimization and application, but the
process modeling is mostly based on Monte Carlo simulations and numerical
methods. In this study, crosstalk is considered to be a branching Poisson
process, and analytical models of probability distribution and excess noise
factor (ENF) of SSPM signals based on the Borel distribution as an advance on
the geometric distribution models are presented and discussed. The models are
found to be in a good agreement with the experimental probability distributions
for dark counts and a few photon spectrums in a wide range of fired pixels
number as well as with observed super-linear behavior of crosstalk ENF.Comment: 10 pages, 2 tables, 3 figures, Reported at 6th International
Conference on "New Developments In Photodetection - NDIP11
2.23 GHz gating InGaAs/InP single-photon avalanche diode for quantum key distribution
We implement an InGaAs/InP single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) for
single-photon detection with the fastest gating frequency reported so far, of
2.23 GHz, which approaches the limit given by the bandwidth of the SPAD - 2.5
GHz. We propose a useful way to characterize the afterpulsing distribution for
rapid gating that allows for easy comparison with conventional gating regimes.
We compare the performance of this rapid gating scheme with free-running
detector and superconducting single-photon detector (SSPD) for the coherent
one-way quantum key distribution (QKD) protocol. The rapid gating system is
well suited for both high-rate and long-distance QKD applications, in which
Mbps key rates can be achieved for distances less than 40 km with 50 ns
deadtime and the maximum distance is limited to ~190km with 5 s deadtime.
These results illustrate that the afterpulsing is no longer a limiting factor
for QKD.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Proceedings of SPI
32 Bin Near-Infrared Time-Multiplexing Detector with Attojoule Single-Shot Energy Resolution
We present two implementations of photon counting time-multiplexing detectors
for near-infrared wavelengths, based on Peltier cooled InGaAs/InP avalanche
photo diodes (APDs). A first implementation is motivated by practical
considerations using only commercially available components. It features 16
bins, pulse repetition rates of up to 22 kHz and a large range of applicable
pulse widths of up to 100 ns. A second implementation is based on rapid gating
detectors, permitting deadtimes below 10 ns. This allows one to realize a high
dynamic-range 32 bin detector, able to process pulse repetition rates of up to
6 MHz for pulse width of up to 200 ps. Analysis of the detector response at
16.5% detection efficiency, reveals a single-shot energy resolution on the
attojoule level.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figure
Characterisation of radiation damage in silicon photomultipliers with a Monte Carlo model
Measured response functions and low photon yield spectra of silicon
photomultipliers (SiPM) were compared to multi-photoelectron pulse-height
distributions generated by a Monte Carlo model. Characteristic parameters for
SiPM were derived. The devices were irradiated with 14 MeV electrons at the
Mainz microtron MAMI. It is shown that the first noticeable damage consists of
an increase in the rate of dark pulses and the loss of uniformity in the pixel
gains. Higher radiation doses reduced also the photon detection efficiency. The
results are especially relevant for applications of SiPM in fibre detectors at
high luminosity experiments.Comment: submitted to Nucl. Instr. and Meth.
Advantages of gated silicon single photon detectors
We present a gated silicon single photon detector based on a commercially
available avalanche photodiode. Our detector achieves a photon detection
efficiency of 45\pm5% at 808 nm with 2x 10^-6 dark count per ns at -30V of
excess bias and -30{\deg}C. We compare gated and free-running detectors and
show that this mode of operation has significant advantages in two
representative experimental scenarios: detecting a single photon either hidden
in faint continuous light or after a strong pulse. We also explore, at
different temperatures and incident light intensities, the "charge persistence"
effect, whereby a detector clicks some time after having been illuminated
Technology Trends for Mixed QKD/WDM Transmission up to 80 km
We give a survey of some of the recent progress made in deploying quantum and
classical communications over a shared fiber, focusing in particular on results
obtained using continuous-variable QKD.Comment: OFC 2020, 3 pages, 2 Figure
Approaches to Single Photon Detection
We present recent results on our development of single photon detectors,
including: gated and free-running InGaAs/InP avalanche photodiodes; hybrid
detection systems based on sum-frequency generation and Si APDs; and SSPDs
(superconducting single photon detectors), for telecom wavelengths; as well as
SiPM (Silicon photomultiplier) detectors operating in the visible regime.Comment: NDIP08 Conf proceedings. 4 pages, 4 figure
Crosstalk calibration of multi-pixel photon counters using coherent states
We present a novel method of calibration of crosstalk probability for
multi-pixel photon counters (MPPCs) based on the measurement of the normalized
second-order intensity correlation function of coherent light. The method was
tested for several MPPCs, and was shown to be advantageous over the traditional
calibration method based on the measurements of the dark noise statistics. The
method can be applied without the need of modification for different kinds of
spatially resolved single photon detectors.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, 2 table
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