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PUBLICATIONS

Improved multiplexed Infrared Single Photon Detectors

Published

Author(s)

Sergey V. Polyakov, Alan L. Migdall, V Schettini, Ivo P. Degiovanni, Giorgio Brida, F Piacentini

Abstract

We discuss a scheme for a photon-counting detection system that overcomes the difficulties of photon-counting at high rates at telecom wavelengths. Our method uses an array of N detectors and a 1-by-N optical switch with a control circuit to direct input light to live detectors. We conclude that in addition to detection deadtime reduction, the multiplexed switch also reduces so-called trigger deadtime, common to infrared photon counting detectors. By implementing the new algorithm we obtain an overall deadtime reduction of a factor of 5 when using just N=2 multiplexed detectors. In addition to deadtime reduction, our scheme reduces afterpulsing and background counts (such as dark counts). We present experimental results showing the advantage of our system as compared to passive multi-detector detection systems and our previous active multiplexing system that only reduced detection deadtime.
Proceedings Title
Infrared Spaceborne Remote Sensing and Instrumentation XVI
Volume
SPIE 7082
Conference Dates
August 10-14, 2008
Conference Location
San Diego, CA
Pub Type
Conferences

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Keywords

Deadtime, Photon-Counting Detectors, Multiplexing, InGaAs, Photon Statistics
Quantum information science

Citation

Polyakov, S. , Migdall, A. , Schettini, V. , Degiovanni, I. , Brida, G. and Piacentini, F. (2008), Improved multiplexed Infrared Single Photon Detectors, Infrared Spaceborne Remote Sensing and Instrumentation XVI, San Diego, CA, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=842544 (Accessed October 27, 2025)

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Created August 11, 2008, Updated February 19, 2017
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