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Journal of Modern Optics

FPGA-based gating and logic for multichannel single photon counting

Raphael C. Pooser, Dennis D. Earl, Philip G. Evans, Brian P. Williams, J. Schaake, Travis S. Humble

Published Jul 30, 2012• 14 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We present results characterizing multichannel InGaAs single photon detectors utilizing gated passive quenching circuits (GPQC), self-differencing techniques, and field programmable gate array (FPGA)-based logic for both diode gating and coincidence counting. Utilizing FPGAs for the diode gating frontend and the logic counting backend has the advantage of low cost compared to custom built logic circuits and current off-the-shelf detector technology. Further, FPGA logic counters have been shown to work well in quantum key distribution (QKD) test beds. Our setup combines multiple independent detector channels in a reconfigurable manner via an FPGA backend and post processing in order to perform coincidence measurements between any two or more detector channels simultaneously. Using this method, states from a multi-photon polarization entangled source are detected and characterized via coincidence counting on the FPGA. Photons detection events are also processed by the quantum information toolkit for application testing (QITKAT).

DOI
10.1080/09500340.2012.706325

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We present results characterizing multichannel InGaAs single photon detectors utilizing gated passive quenching circuits (GPQC), self-differencing techniques, and field programmable gate array (FPGA)-based logic for both diode gating and coincidence counting. Utilizing FPGAs for the diode gating frontend and the logic counting backend has the advantage of low cost compared to custom built logic circuits and current off-the-shelf detector technology. Further, FPGA logic counters have been shown to work well in quantum key distribution (QKD) test beds. Our setup combines multiple independent detector channels in a reconfigurable manner via an FPGA backend and post processing in order to perform coincidence measurements between any two or more detector channels simultaneously. Using this method, states from a multi-photon polarization entangled source are detected and characterized via coincidence counting on the FPGA. Photons detection events are also processed by the quantum information toolkit for application testing (QITKAT).
Coincidence counting is widely used in quantum optics.It could be used in measuring the pairs of polarization entangled photons and single photon interference.In quantum experiments,coincidence counting often needs more than 3 channels.In this case,it is necessary to use FPGA(Field-Programmable Gate Array) instead of discrete logic chips.FPGA also has the advantage of low cost and small size.Coincidence counter based on FPGA could support coincidence time window from 1 ns to several hundred ns.This helps to avoid noised caused by background light.This paper introduces the principle of multi-channel coincidence counter based on FPGA and gives its performance experimentally with two single photon counting modules.
Coincidence counters play the role of gating events from the background noise in almost every quantum photonics setup. Precise multi-channel and high count-rate coincidence counting tools have become desirable due to an increase in the complexity of quantum photonics experiments. However, timing analyzers are struggling to meet these needs. We are proposing a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) based coincidence counting system which provides 8 operational channels with 8.9 ps root mean square (RMS) resolution (with a bin width of 7.7 ps) and a count-rate of 320 million counts per second (MCPS) (with 40 MCPS per channel). We have successfully tested our design in different quantum photonics scenarios such as the detection of two-photon interference and pseudo-photon-number resolving detection of a coherent state of light where it has shown its capability of working beyond the saturation of detectors. Also, we have introduced a Dual Data Rate Registration TDC, which improved the linearity of the time tagging operation by using both clock edges without increasing the dead-time or using the space excessively. 1.2 LSB in max DNL error, 1.8 LSB in max INL error, 10 ps in FWHM and 3.2 ps in RMS resolution improvements were achieved.
We report on an electronic coincidence detection circuit for quantum photonic applications implemented on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), which records each the time separation between detection events coming from single-photon detectors. We achieve a coincidence window as narrow as 500 ps with a series of optimizations on a readily-available and affordable FPGA development board. Our implementation allows real-time visualization of coincidence measurements for multiple coincidence window widths simultaneously. To demonstrate the advantage of our high-resolution visualization, we certified the generation of polarized entangled photons by collecting data from multiple coincidence windows with minimal accidental counts, obtaining a violation of the Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt (CHSH) Bell inequality by more than 338 standard deviations. Our results have shown the applicability of our electronic design in the field of quantum information.
State-of-the-art technology for pulse counter electronics offers an important range of commercial devices, but such systems are usually expensive due to the complex logic used for this task. The use of counting electronics in conjunction with photon counters can be used, for example, to perform experimental tests in Quantum Optics and Quantum Information Science. Here, we present the development and implementation of a low cost module for multiphoton coincidence statistics with detection windows of a few nanoseconds. The module consists of an array of logic gates, with a frequency operation of 250 MHz that corrects and amplifies the detectors signal. The device characterisation was done by means of detection of Transistor-Transistor Logic (TTL) signals retrieved from a signal generator, and implemented in an optical setup. The detected output signals (TTL pulses) were analysed and stored in a computer by means of a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). Our module incorporates fundamental electronics that is currently used in the first experimental proof-of-principle tests in quantum information and molecular spectroscopy at CIBioFi.
In this paper we present the data acquisition (DAQ) system for a multichannel coincidence photon counter where this DAQ is optimized for a small coincidence window, high speed data retrieving without reduction and parallel data processing. For single photon detection we use Avalanche Photodiodes (APD) which are practical tools for detection in quantum optics and photonics quantum information experiments. However they introduce noise into the measurements originating from their dark count detection and after pulsing. One way to limit this contribution is to decrease the time window in which the coincidence detection measurement is performed. We have developed this DAQ based entirely on a standard Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) where the width of the coincidence time window is in the sub-nanosecond range. The same unit is also responsible for sending the result to the User Interface (UI). The communication between the UI and the FPGA platform is through a single link Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) by means of streaming DMA. Our DAQ is developed for Xilinx Spartan-6 devices but other devices are also supported. A Linux driver with all necessary functionality to communicate with the DAQ as well as the UI is also developed. The use of our unit can be extended for other detection counting physical systems.