Improved photon counting efficiency calibration using superconducting single photon detectors

Haiyong Gan; Nan Xu; Jianwei Li; Ruoduan Sun; Guojin Feng; Yanfei Wang; Chong Ma; Yandong Lin; Labao Zhang; Lin Kang; Jian Chen; Peiheng Wu

doi:10.1117/12.2199705

15 October 2015 Improved photon counting efficiency calibration using superconducting single photon detectors

Haiyong Gan, Nan Xu, Jianwei Li, Ruoduan Sun, Guojin Feng, Yanfei Wang, Chong Ma, Yandong Lin, Labao Zhang, Lin Kang, Jian Chen, Peiheng Wu

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 9674, AOPC 2015: Optical and Optoelectronic Sensing and Imaging Technology; 96741W (2015) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2199705
Event: Applied Optics and Photonics China (AOPC2015), 2015, Beijing, China

Abstract

The quantum efficiency of photon counters can be measured with standard uncertainty below 1% level using correlated photon pairs generated through spontaneous parametric down-conversion process. Normally a laser in UV, blue or green wavelength range with sufficient photon energy is applied to produce energy and momentum conserved photon pairs in two channels with desired wavelengths for calibration. One channel is used as the heralding trigger, and the other is used for the calibration of the detector under test. A superconducting nanowire single photon detector with advantages such as high photon counting speed (<20 MHz), low dark count rate (<50 counts per second), and wideband responsivity (UV to near infrared) is used as the trigger detector, enabling correlated photons calibration capabilities into shortwave visible range. For a 355nm single longitudinal mode pump laser, when a superconducting nanowire single photon detector is used as the trigger detector at 1064nm and 1560nm in the near infrared range, the photon counting efficiency calibration capabilities can be realized at 532nm and 460nm. The quantum efficiency measurement on photon counters such as photomultiplier tubes and avalanche photodiodes can be then further extended in a wide wavelength range (e.g. 400-1000nm) using a flat spectral photon flux source to meet the calibration demands in cutting edge low light applications such as time resolved fluorescence and nonlinear optical spectroscopy, super resolution microscopy, deep space observation, and so on.

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Haiyong Gan, Nan Xu, Jianwei Li, Ruoduan Sun, Guojin Feng, Yanfei Wang, Chong Ma, Yandong Lin, Labao Zhang, Lin Kang, Jian Chen, and Peiheng Wu "Improved photon counting efficiency calibration using superconducting single photon detectors", Proc. SPIE 9674, AOPC 2015: Optical and Optoelectronic Sensing and Imaging Technology, 96741W (15 October 2015); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2199705

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KEYWORDS

Calibration

Quantum efficiency

Photon counting

Sensors

Single photon detectors

Superconductors

Infrared sensors

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