NOTICE: Due to a lapse in annual appropriations, most of this website is not being updated. Learn more.
Form submissions will still be accepted but will not receive responses at this time. Sections of this site for programs using non-appropriated funds (such as NVLAP) or those that are excepted from the shutdown (such as CHIPS and NVD) will continue to be updated.
An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Calibration of free-space and fiber-coupled single-photon detectors
Published
Author(s)
Thomas Gerrits, Alan L. Migdall, Joshua C. Bienfang, John H. Lehman, Sae Woo Nam, Oliver T. Slattery, Jolene D. Splett, Igor Vayshenker, Chih-Ming Wang
Abstract
We present our measurements of the detection efficiency of free-space and fiber-coupled single- photon detectors at wavelengths near 851 nm and 1533.6 nm. We investigate the spatial uniformity of one free-space-coupled silicon single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) and present a comparison between fusion-spliced and connectorized fiber-coupled single-photon detectors. We find that our expanded relative uncertainty for a single measurement of the detection efficiency is as low as 0.7 % for fiber-coupled measurements at 1533.6 nm and as high as 1.8 % for our free-space characterization at 851.8 nm.
Gerrits, T.
, Migdall, A.
, Bienfang, J.
, Lehman, J.
, Nam, S.
, Slattery, O.
, Splett, J.
, Vayshenker, I.
and Wang, C.
(2020),
Calibration of free-space and fiber-coupled single-photon detectors, Quantum 2.0 Conference, virtual, MD, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=931118
(Accessed October 8, 2025)