Single-Photon Detector Calibration

郭园园 GUO Yuan-yuan, 高冬阳 GAO Dong-yang, 胡友勃 HU You-bo +3 more

Lior Cohen, Y. Pilnyak, D. Istrati +3 more

Single-photon detectors are widely used in modern quantum optics experiments and applications. Like all detectors, it is important for these devices to be accurately calibrated. A single-photon detector is calibrated by determining its detection efficiency; the common method to measure this quantity requires comparison to another detector. Here, we suggest a method to measure the detection efficiency of a single-photon detector without requiring an external reference detector. Our method is valid for individual single-photon detectors as well as multiplexed detectors, which are known to be photon number resolving. The method exploits the even-number photon-statistics of a nonlinear source, as well as the nonlinear loss of a single-photon detector that occurs when multiple photons are incident simultaneously. We have analytically modeled multiplexed detectors and used the results to experimentally demonstrate the calibration of a single-photon detector without the need for an external reference detector.

Yan Liang, Heping Zeng

Yu Feng, Yangyang Zhang, Pengyu Zhao

Current efficiency calibration of detectors need to establish primary and transfer standard, the precision will be reduced by transfer chain. We propose a scheme for efficiency calibration of infrared single photon detectors by means of twin photons.Comparing with traditional methods, the advantages of this method are mentioned. Using ultraviolet laser to pump BBO crystal, the calibration system of infrared single photon detectors based on twin photons is performed. Quantum efficiency of ID220 detector is measured as (8.71±0.02) % at wavelength of 1550nm.

Oliver Graydon

Thomas Gerrits

A method for calibration of single-photon detectors without the need of input photon flux calibration is presented. The method relies on the use of waveguide-coupled single photon detectors and a series of photon-counting measurements using a single-photon source. It is shown that the method can yield relative uncertainties of less than 1% including counting statistics and fiber splice loss uncertainties with a total measurement time of about 1 h under the assumptions that the fractional losses of the waveguide-coupled detectors are known or zero and the loss along the waveguide is constant. It is also shown that the fractional losses of the waveguide-coupled detectors can be determined if they are equal. However, in this case an input photon flux calibration is required.