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American Journal of Physics

Low-cost coincidence-counting electronics for undergraduate quantum optics

David A. Branning, Sagar Bhandari, M. Beck

Published Jun 11, 2009• 45 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Coincidence counting is a necessary ingredient for quantum optics experiments at the undergraduate level, but cost has created an entry barrier for many schools. We present a design of a coincidence-counting module that replaces the traditional method based on time-to-amplitude conversion and pulse-height analysis. Our module accepts inputs from up to four detectors, has a coincidence-time window of less than 10ns, and has a throughput of more than triple that of the traditional method. The cost of our coincidence-counting module is less than 5% of the cost of the traditional method.

DOI
10.1119/1.3116803

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Coincidence counting is a necessary ingredient for quantum optics experiments at the undergraduate level, but cost has created an entry barrier for many schools. We present a design of a coincidence-counting module that replaces the traditional method based on time-to-amplitude conversion and pulse-height analysis. Our module accepts inputs from up to four detectors, has a coincidence-time window of less than 10ns, and has a throughput of more than triple that of the traditional method. The cost of our coincidence-counting module is less than 5% of the cost of the traditional method.
We present a multichannel coincidence-counting module for use in quantum optics experiments. The circuit takes up to four transistor-transistor logic pulse inputs and counts either twofold, threefold, or fourfold coincidences, within a user-selected coincidence-time window as short as 12 ns. The module can accurately count eight sets of multichannel coincidences, for input rates of up to 84 MHz. Due to their low cost and small size, multiple modules can easily be combined to count arbitrary M-order coincidences among N inputs.
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.
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.