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arXiv:1707.07179 · Review of Scientific Instruments

Sine wave gating silicon single-photon detectors for multiphoton entanglement experiments

Nan Zhou, Wen-Hao Jiang, Luo-Kan Chen, Yu-Qiang Fang, Zheng-Da Li, Hao Liang, Yu-Ao Chen, Jun Zhang, Jian-Wei Pan

Published Aug 1, 2017• 5 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Silicon single-photon detectors (SPDs) are the key devices for detecting single photons in the visible wavelength range. Here we present high detection efficiency silicon SPDs dedicated to the generation of multiphoton entanglement based on the technique of high-frequency sine wave gating. The silicon single-photon avalanche diode components are acquired by disassembling 6 commercial single-photon counting modules (SPCMs). Using the new quenching electronics, the average detection efficiency of SPDs is increased from 68.6% to 73.1% at a wavelength of 785 nm. These sine wave gating SPDs are then applied in a four-photon entanglement experiment, and the four-fold coincidence count rate is increased by 30% without degrading its visibility compared with the original SPCMs.

DOI
10.1063/1.4986038

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Silicon single-photon detectors (SPDs) are the key devices for detecting single photons in the visible wavelength range. Here we present high detection efficiency silicon SPDs dedicated to the generation of multiphoton entanglement based on the technique of high-frequency sine wave gating. The silicon single-photon avalanche diode components are acquired by disassembling 6 commercial single-photon counting modules (SPCMs). Using the new quenching electronics, the average detection efficiency of SPDs is increased from 68.6% to 73.1% at a wavelength of 785 nm. These sine wave gating SPDs are then applied in a four-photon entanglement experiment, and the four-fold coincidence count rate is increased by 30% without degrading its visibility compared with the original SPCMs.
Single-photon detectors (SPDs) are the most sensitive instruments for light detection. In the near-infrared range, SPDs based on III–V compound semiconductor avalanche photodiodes have been extensively used during the past two decades for diverse applications due to their advantages in practicality including small size, low cost and easy operation. In the past decade, the rapid developments and increasing demands in quantum information science have served as key drivers to improve the device performance of single-photon avalanche diodes and to invent new avalanche quenching techniques. This Review aims to introduce the technology advances of InGaAs/InP single-photon detector systems in the telecom wavelengths and the relevant quantum communication applications, and particularly to highlight recent emerging techniques such as high-frequency gating at GHz rates and free-running operation using negative-feedback avalanche diodes. Future perspectives of both the devices and quenching techniques are summarized.
Single-photon detectors (SPDs) are the most sensitive instruments for light detection. In the near-infrared range, SPDs based on III–V compound semiconductor avalanche photodiodes have been extensively used during the past two decades for diverse applications due to their advantages in practicality including small size, low cost and easy operation. In the past decade, the rapid developments and increasing demands in quantum information science have served as key drivers to improve the device performance of single-photon avalanche diodes and to invent new avalanche quenching techniques. This Review aims to introduce the technology advances of InGaAs/InP single-photon detector systems in the telecom wavelengths and the relevant quantum communication applications, and particularly to highlight recent emerging techniques such as high-frequency gating at GHz rates and free-running operation using negative-feedback avalanche diodes. Future perspectives of both the devices and quenching techniques are summarized. Recent progress in single-photon detectors for quantum communication based on III–V compound semiconductor avalanche photodiodes is reviewed. Specifically, Jun Zhang and Jian-Wei Pan at the University of Science and Technology of China and their colleagues in the USA and Switzerland introduce technological advances for InGaAs/InP single-photon detector systems in the telecommunication band along with their associated applications in quantum communication. III–V single-photon avalanche diodes are the most practical tools available for detecting ultraweak near-infrared light. The scientists overview important parameters for evaluating the performance of detector systems based on single-photon avalanche diodes and describe the experimental characterization of these parameters. They also consider emerging techniques, including high-frequency gating at gigahertz rates and free-running operation using negative-feedback avalanche diodes. Finally, the future prospects of these devices are considered.
Using correlated photon pairs produced via spontaneous parametric down-conversion, we have measured the absolute single-photon detection efficiencies and time responses of four detectors: two solid-state photomultipliers (SSPM's) manufactured by Rockwell International Corp., and two custom-modified single-photon counting modules (SSPM's) manufactured by EG, Canada. The highest observed efficiencies were 70.9\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.9% (with an SSPM, at a wavelength of 632 nm) and 76.4\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2.3% (with an SPCM, at 702 nm). We believe these to be the highest reported single-photon detection efficiencies in the visible spectrum; they are important for quantum cryptography and loophole-free tests of Bell's inequalities, as well as more prosaic applications such as photon correlation spectroscopy and velocimetry. We found that the time profile for coincidences between the SSPM and the SPCM consisted of a main peak with a 3.5-ns full width at half maximum (FWHM) preceded by a smaller peak by 11 ns. A similar time profile between two SPCM's displayed only one peak, with a 300-ps FWHM. Afterpulses were detected in the SPCM's at a level of less than ${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}4}$ of the counting rate, with an exponential decay time constant of 4.5 \ensuremath{\mu}s.
In this paper, we have investigated a self-developed sine wave gated (SWG) single-photon detector (SPD) for 1550 nm wavelength primary for quantum key distribution (QKD) usage. We have investigated different gate parameters` influence on the SPD`s noise characteristics. We have admitted that with an increase of gating voltage and constant value of quantum efficiency (QE), the dark count rate (DCR) decreases. There have been made some recommendations to improve SPD`s and whole QKD device's characteristics based on these observations. There have been discovered the quick rise of the DCR value with the increase of gating voltage above some certain value and this value was different for different detectors. It has been shown that universal empirical dependence compilation to connect control and operational parameters of SPD is a non-trivial task.
We present and analyze a gated single photon avalanche detector using a sine gating scheme with a simple but effective low-pass filtering technique for fast low-noise single photon detection at telecom wavelength. The detector is characterized by 130 ps short gates applied with a frequency of 1.25 GHz, yields only 70 ps timing jitter and noise probabilities as low as 7·10−7 per gate at 10% detection efficiency. We show that the detector is suitable for high rate quantum key distribution (QKD) and even at room temperature it could allow for QKD over distances larger than 25 km.
High-performance single-photon detectors (SPDs) at 1550-nm band are critical for fiber-based quantum communications. Among many types of SPDs, the up-conversion SPDs based on periodically poled lithium niobate waveguides are of great interest. Combined with a strong pump laser, the telecom single-photons are converted into short wavelength ones and detected by silicon-based SPDs. However, due to the difficulty of precise controlling waveguide profile, the direct coupling between a single-mode fiber and the waveguide is not efficient. Here by utilizing fiber taper with proper diameter, optimal mode-matching is achieved and coupling efficiency up to 93% is measured. With an optimized design, a system detection efficiency of 36% and noise counting rate of 90 cps are realized. The maximum detection efficiency is characterized as 40% with a noise counting rate of 200 cps. Numerical simulation results indicate that our device can significantly improve the performance of QKD and extend the communication distance longer than 200 km.