Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Anales/Anales AFA

DEVELOPMENT IN MATLAB AND LABVIEW FOR THE CONTROL AND AUTOMATIZATION OF EXPERIMENTS IN QUANTUM OPTICS

Myriam Nonaka, Mónica Agüero, Alejandro Andrés Hnilo, Marcelo Gregorio Kovalsky

Published Jan 1, 2020• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

In this paper, it is described the development in the LabVIEW plataform together with the programming context ofMATLAB for the control and automation of quantum optics experiments. The developed program allows the communication of the different involved devices: SPCM (Single Photon Counters Modules) photon detectors; TDC (time todigital converter) converter ID900 from ID Quantique with 10 ps of resolution and the motorized rotators PRM1Z8(Motorized Rotation Stage from Thorlabs). The implemented system, allows to work optimally during the laboratory experiments that must be performed under darkness condition, this avoids manipulation errors during the measurement process.

DOI
10.31527/analesafa.2020.31.2.62

Related papers

Quantum optics laboratories with motorized components

Enrique J. Galvez

Quantum optics laboratories are emerging as suitable educational platforms to complement quantum mechanics instruction and expose students to non-traditional demonstrations of quantum physics involving quantum superposition and measurement. The automation of these experiments offers an interesting alternative paradigm. In this contribution, I present the automation of laboratory experiments through motorized mounts that displace or rotate optical components, enabling remote execution of the experiments. Some additional benefits include improved repeatability and better preparation of photonic quantum states.

Education and Training in Optics and Photonics•Jun 28, 2023•1 citation

Modular Platform for Photonic Optical Experiments and Quantum Cryptography

V.E. Rodimin, Mikhail Ponomarev, T. V. Kazieva +3 more

We present a system for optical experiments and rapid prototyping of fiber optical devices. The platform has real-time FPGA functionality combined with the ease of programming on LabVIEW. A quantum key distribution (QKD) system based on the developed platform was tested both in laboratory and in the field. Presented system has engineering, scientific and educational potential.

International Siberian Conference on Control and Communications•Apr 1, 2019•6 citations

Automatic Configuration Protocols for Optical Quantum Networks

Amin Taherkhani, Andrew Todd, Kentaro Teramoto +2 more

Before quantum networks can scale up to practical sizes, there are many deployment and configuration tasks that must be automated. Currently, quantum networking testbeds are largely manually configured: network nodes are constructed out of a combination of free-space and fiber optics before being connected to shared single-photon detectors, time-todigital converters, and optical switches. Information about these connections must be tracked manually; mislabeling may result in experimental failure and protracted debugging sessions. In this paper, we propose protocols and algorithms to automate two such manual processes. First, we address the problem of automatically identifying connections between quantum network nodes and time-to-digital converters. Then, we turn to the more complex challenge of identifying the nodes attached to a quantum network's optical switches. Implementation of these protocols will help enable the development of other protocols necessary for quantum networks, such as network topology discovery, link quality monitoring, resource naming, and routing. We intend for this paper to serve as a roadmap for near-term implementation.

IEEE International Conference on Quantum Computing and Engineering (QCE)•Aug 30, 2025•2 citations

Python in Quantum Transduction

Erica Garcia Badaracco

Application: Optical and RF Component Testing Platform for Quantum Transduction TechnologyFor every programming language desired, one must find libraries that support both your device and its bus system.By using Virtual Instrument Software Architecture (VISA) we can communicate with hardware easily.The python package PyVISA implements this software and is an excellent tool to use.The motion controllers for this project include Thorlabs:Stepper Motor Controller • BSC203 -Three-Channel BenchtopStepper Motor Controller • BPC303 -3-Channel 150 V Benchtop Piezo Controller with USB

•May 5, 2023•0 citations

Automation System for Single Photon Generation and Detection

Kar Tim Chan

Single photon source can be produced by using spontaneous parametric down conversion or quantum emitter such as ions, molecules, atoms, quantum dots and colour centres. Main objective of current research is to automate single photon generation module and detection module based on nitrogen vacancy colour centre in diamond into one system. In single photon generation, diamond sample is held at a holder mounted on a 3D piezo translation stage. Laser source with wavelength 527nm is focused using a standard microscope objective to a spot size at the nitrogen vacancy centre to produce fluorescence. Since a single photon is generated by exciting an isolated nitrogen vacancy in a diamond crystal, it is critical that position of nitrogen vacancies in the crystal to be known. For this purpose, a scanning system was designed and constructed to determine the 3D position of nitrogen vacancy and identified their coordinates for later use. The system consists of a high precision 3D piezo translation stage and was controlled by a scanning programme built using LabVIEW. This programme will map the location of the vacancies in an intensity graph where axis X and Y show the scanning position while the bright colour spots determine the position of the vacancies. In single photon detection which is based on the Hanbury-Brown-Twiss setup, the fluorescence emitted from the nitrogen vacancy is split by a beamsplitter and directed to single photon detectors. A digital pulse is produced for each photocount detected. At the same time, output from the detectors is fed into a time to amplitude converter/single channel analyzer to produce coincidence counts. In order to read and record the number of photon counts and number of coincidences, a detection system was designed and built. This detection system interfaces a series of high performance single photon detectors to the same computer that controls the scanning system via a detection programme. Besides reading and recording data, the detection programme can also calculate the second order correlation function, g2(τ) from a subVI written in LabVIEW 8.2.

•Jan 1, 2009•0 citations

Controllable photon source

Dániel Oszetzky, Attila Nagy, A. Czitrovszky

We have developed our pervious experimental setup using correlated photon pairs (to the calibration of photo detectors) to realize a controllable photon source. For the generation of such photon pairs we use the non-linear process of parametric down conversion. When a photon of the pump beam is incident to a nonlinear crystal with phase matching condition, a pair of photons (signal and idler) is created at the same time with certain probability. We detect the photons in the signal beam with a single photon counting module (SPCM), while delaying those in the idler beam. Recently we have developed a fast electronic unit to control an optical shutter (a Pockels cell) placed to the optical output of the idler beam. When we detect a signal photon with the controlling electronic unit we are also able to open or close the fast optical shutter. Thus we can control which idler photons can propagate through the Pockels cell. So with this photon source we are able to program the number of photons in a certain time window. This controllable photon source that is able to generate a known number of photons with specified wavelength, direction, and polarization could be useful for applications in high-accuracy optical characterisation of photometric devices at the ultra-low intensities. This light source can also serve as a standard in testing of optical image intensifiers, night vision devices, and in the accurate measurement of spectral distribution of transmission and absorption in optical materials.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Oct 18, 2006•2 citations
In this paper, it is described the development in the LabVIEW plataform together with the programming context ofMATLAB for the control and automation of quantum optics experiments. The developed program allows the communication of the different involved devices: SPCM (Single Photon Counters Modules) photon detectors; TDC (time todigital converter) converter ID900 from ID Quantique with 10 ps of resolution and the motorized rotators PRM1Z8(Motorized Rotation Stage from Thorlabs). The implemented system, allows to work optimally during the laboratory experiments that must be performed under darkness condition, this avoids manipulation errors during the measurement process.
Quantum optics laboratories are emerging as suitable educational platforms to complement quantum mechanics instruction and expose students to non-traditional demonstrations of quantum physics involving quantum superposition and measurement. The automation of these experiments offers an interesting alternative paradigm. In this contribution, I present the automation of laboratory experiments through motorized mounts that displace or rotate optical components, enabling remote execution of the experiments. Some additional benefits include improved repeatability and better preparation of photonic quantum states.
Before quantum networks can scale up to practical sizes, there are many deployment and configuration tasks that must be automated. Currently, quantum networking testbeds are largely manually configured: network nodes are constructed out of a combination of free-space and fiber optics before being connected to shared single-photon detectors, time-todigital converters, and optical switches. Information about these connections must be tracked manually; mislabeling may result in experimental failure and protracted debugging sessions. In this paper, we propose protocols and algorithms to automate two such manual processes. First, we address the problem of automatically identifying connections between quantum network nodes and time-to-digital converters. Then, we turn to the more complex challenge of identifying the nodes attached to a quantum network's optical switches. Implementation of these protocols will help enable the development of other protocols necessary for quantum networks, such as network topology discovery, link quality monitoring, resource naming, and routing. We intend for this paper to serve as a roadmap for near-term implementation.
Application: Optical and RF Component Testing Platform for Quantum Transduction TechnologyFor every programming language desired, one must find libraries that support both your device and its bus system.By using Virtual Instrument Software Architecture (VISA) we can communicate with hardware easily.The python package PyVISA implements this software and is an excellent tool to use.The motion controllers for this project include Thorlabs:Stepper Motor Controller • BSC203 -Three-Channel BenchtopStepper Motor Controller • BPC303 -3-Channel 150 V Benchtop Piezo Controller with USB
Single photon source can be produced by using spontaneous parametric down conversion or quantum emitter such as ions, molecules, atoms, quantum dots and colour centres. Main objective of current research is to automate single photon generation module and detection module based on nitrogen vacancy colour centre in diamond into one system. In single photon generation, diamond sample is held at a holder mounted on a 3D piezo translation stage. Laser source with wavelength 527nm is focused using a standard microscope objective to a spot size at the nitrogen vacancy centre to produce fluorescence. Since a single photon is generated by exciting an isolated nitrogen vacancy in a diamond crystal, it is critical that position of nitrogen vacancies in the crystal to be known. For this purpose, a scanning system was designed and constructed to determine the 3D position of nitrogen vacancy and identified their coordinates for later use. The system consists of a high precision 3D piezo translation stage and was controlled by a scanning programme built using LabVIEW. This programme will map the location of the vacancies in an intensity graph where axis X and Y show the scanning position while the bright colour spots determine the position of the vacancies. In single photon detection which is based on the Hanbury-Brown-Twiss setup, the fluorescence emitted from the nitrogen vacancy is split by a beamsplitter and directed to single photon detectors. A digital pulse is produced for each photocount detected. At the same time, output from the detectors is fed into a time to amplitude converter/single channel analyzer to produce coincidence counts. In order to read and record the number of photon counts and number of coincidences, a detection system was designed and built. This detection system interfaces a series of high performance single photon detectors to the same computer that controls the scanning system via a detection programme. Besides reading and recording data, the detection programme can also calculate the second order correlation function, g2(τ) from a subVI written in LabVIEW 8.2.
We have developed our pervious experimental setup using correlated photon pairs (to the calibration of photo detectors) to realize a controllable photon source. For the generation of such photon pairs we use the non-linear process of parametric down conversion. When a photon of the pump beam is incident to a nonlinear crystal with phase matching condition, a pair of photons (signal and idler) is created at the same time with certain probability. We detect the photons in the signal beam with a single photon counting module (SPCM), while delaying those in the idler beam. Recently we have developed a fast electronic unit to control an optical shutter (a Pockels cell) placed to the optical output of the idler beam. When we detect a signal photon with the controlling electronic unit we are also able to open or close the fast optical shutter. Thus we can control which idler photons can propagate through the Pockels cell. So with this photon source we are able to program the number of photons in a certain time window. This controllable photon source that is able to generate a known number of photons with specified wavelength, direction, and polarization could be useful for applications in high-accuracy optical characterisation of photometric devices at the ultra-low intensities. This light source can also serve as a standard in testing of optical image intensifiers, night vision devices, and in the accurate measurement of spectral distribution of transmission and absorption in optical materials.