Heralded single-photon sources (HSPS) are widely used in experimental quantum science because they have negligibly small jitter and can therefore achieve high visibility for quantum interference. However, it is necessary to decrease the photon generation rate to suppress multi-photon components. To address this problem, two methods have been proposed and discussed: spatial (or temporal) source multiplexing and photon-pair number discrimination. Here, we report the experimental realization of a HSPS combining these two methods that can suppress the two-photon probability to 44.2 ± 0.7% of that of a normal HSPS. We also provide a theoretical analysis and a discussion of the effect of combining the two methods, considering a detector cascade as a practical photon number discriminating detector. The experimental results agreed well with the theoretical predictions.Heralded single-photon sources (HSPS) are widely used in experimental quantum science because they have negligibly small jitter and can therefore achieve high visibility for quantum interference. However, it is necessary to decrease the photon generation rate to suppress multi-photon components. To address this problem, two methods have been proposed and discussed: spatial (or temporal) source multiplexing and photon-pair number discrimination. Here, we report the experimental realization of a HSPS combining these two methods that can suppress the two-photon probability to 44.2 ± 0.7% of that of a normal HSPS. We also provide a theoretical analysis and a discussion of the effect of combining the two methods, considering a detector cascade as a practical photon number discriminating detector. The experimental results agreed well with the theoretical predictions.

Optics ExpressNov 15, 201627 citations

Single photon sources and applications

John Rarity, Stephen C. Kitson, Paul R. Tapster

Springer eBooksApr 7, 20083 citations

Characterisation of a Multiplexed Photon Pair Source

Robert J. A. Francis-Jones

Springer thesesJan 1, 20171 citation

Realization of multiplexing of heralded single photon sources using cascaded on-off detectors

Takayuki Kiyohara, Ryo Okamoto, Shigeki Takeuchi

Summary form only given. Heralded single-photon sources (HSPS) are widely used in experimental quantum science because they have negligibly small jitter and can therefore achieve high visibility for quantum interference. However, it is necessary to decrease the photon generation rate to suppress multi-photon components. To address this problem, two methods have been proposed and discussed: spatial (or temporal) source multiplexing [1, 2] and photon-pair number discrimination [3]. Here, we report the first experimental realization of a HSPS combining these two methods that can suppress the two-photon probability to 44.2 ± 0.7% of that of a normal HSPS [4]. We also provide a theoretical analysis and a discussion of the effect of combining the two methods, considering a detector cascade as a practical photon number discriminating detector. The experimental results agreed well with the theoretical predictions.Summary form only given. Heralded single-photon sources (HSPS) are widely used in experimental quantum science because they have negligibly small jitter and can therefore achieve high visibility for quantum interference. However, it is necessary to decrease the photon generation rate to suppress multi-photon components. To address this problem, two methods have been proposed and discussed: spatial (or temporal) source multiplexing [1, 2] and photon-pair number discrimination [3]. Here, we report the first experimental realization of a HSPS combining these two methods that can suppress the two-photon probability to 44.2 ± 0.7% of that of a normal HSPS [4]. We also provide a theoretical analysis and a discussion of the effect of combining the two methods, considering a detector cascade as a practical photon number discriminating detector. The experimental results agreed well with the theoretical predictions.

Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC)Jun 1, 20170 citations

Validating the calibrated creation of heralded single photons

Daniel Borrero Landazabal, Kaisa Laiho

Coincidence-count discrimination is a practical and straightforward tool for the characterization of photon-pair processes and heralded single photons. Here, we implement a heralded single photon source based on parametric down-conversion in a periodically poled KTiOPO $_4$ waveguide in the telecom wavelength range involving a low number of optical modes. We extend the toolbox for the loss-tolerant state characterization by combining conventional figures-of-merit in order to access the heralded state's mean photon number and its photon-number parity. Our experiment demonstrates that an accurate determination of these characteristics is possible just through simple photon-correlation measurements. We believe that our results can find usage in the calibrated creation of heralded single photons and in determining the expectation values of observables that are crucial for attributing a single quantum.Coincidence-count discrimination is a practical and straightforward tool for the characterization of photon-pair processes and heralded single photons. Here, we implement a heralded single photon source based on parametric down-conversion in a periodically poled KTiOPO$_4$ waveguide in the telecom wavelength range involving a low number of optical modes. We extend the toolbox for the loss-tolerant state characterization by combining conventional figures-of-merit in order to access the heralded state's mean photon number and its photon-number parity. Our experiment demonstrates that an accurate determination of these characteristics is possible just through simple photon-correlation measurements. We believe that our results can find usage in the calibrated creation of heralded single photons and in determining the expectation values of observables that are crucial for attributing a single quantum.

quant-pharXiv:2512.17336Physical Review ResearchDec 22, 20250 citations

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waveguide in the telecom wavelength range involving a low number of optical modes. We extend the toolbox for the loss-tolerant state characterization by combining conventional figures-of-merit in order to access the heralded state's mean photon number and its photon-number parity. Our experiment demonstrates that an accurate determination of these characteristics is possible just through simple photon-correlation measurements. We believe that our results can find usage in the calibrated creation of heralded single photons and in determining the expectation values of observables that are crucial for attributing a single quantum.