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IEEE International Conference on Quantum Computing and Engineering (QCE)

Impact of Multi-Photon States on the Calibration of Single-Photon Detectors Using a Portable Bi-Photon Source

Sujeet Pani, Duncan Earl, F. E. Becerra

Published Aug 30, 2025• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We investigate the absolute calibration of single photon detectors (SPDs) based on a portable bi-photon source. We study the impact of multi-photon quantum states from the source on the calibration accuracy and develop a theoretical model to account for this and other effects. Our work provides a path towards practical absolute SPD calibration for future standardized photonic quantum technologies.

DOI
10.1109/qce65121.2025.10401

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We investigate the absolute calibration of single photon detectors (SPDs) based on a portable bi-photon source. We study the impact of multi-photon quantum states from the source on the calibration accuracy and develop a theoretical model to account for this and other effects. Our work provides a path towards practical absolute SPD calibration for future standardized photonic quantum technologies.
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Abstract The evolution of quantum standards for SI units and funding support from national governments has led to rapid technological developments in the quantum sciences. With this, new and more powerful quantum optical devices that find applications in several fields are obtained. Single‐photon detectors (SPDs) are considered as a critical element in these emerging technologies. A traceability chain for SPD calibration is required to ensure their performance reliability and quality. Different methods and techniques are being developed worldwide for the calibration of SPDs. In this paper, the developments that have occurred globally in SPD calibration and the uncertainty value achieved until now are summarized along with the scope of possible improvement areas.
There are two general methods in radiometric calibration of detectors, one is based on radiation sources and the other based on detectors. Because the two methods need to establish a primary standard of high precision and a transfer chain, precision of the standard will be reduced by extension of the chain. A new calibration method of detectors can be realized by using correlated photons generated in spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) effect of nonlinear crystal, without needing transfer chain. Using 351.1-nm output of a tunable laser to pump 'beta'-barium borate (BBO) crystal, an absolute calibration experimental system of single photon detectors based on correlated photons is performed. The quantum efficiency of photomultiplier (PMT) at 702.2 nm is measured by the setup. Advantages of this method over traditional methods are also pointed out by comparison.
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.
Single-photon detectors are finding increasingly wide application in all branches of science and technology thus a precise knowledge of their quantum efficiency is an essential prerequisite. We have performed the first proof-of-principle demonstration of a means to determine the quantum efficiency by which no second detector or reference standard is required. This absolute self-calibration method is based on the time correlation of entangled photons pairs emitted in spontaneous parametric down conversion. The measured quantum efficiency of a Si avalanche photodiode single-photon detector agrees well with the product specifications.
We analyse how imperfections in single-photon detectors impact the characterization of photon-pair sources. We perform exact calculations to reveal the effects of multi-pair emissions and of noisy, non-unit efficiency, nonphoton-number resolving detections on the Cauchy–Schwarz parameter, on the second-order auto-correlation and cross-correlation functions, and on the visibilities of both Hong–Ou–Mandel and Bell-like interferences. We consider sources producing either two-mode squeezed states or states with a Poissonian photon distribution. The proposed formulas are useful in practice to determine the impacts of multi-pair emissions and dark counts in standard tests used in quantum optics.