A Quantum Imager for Intensity Correlated Photons

TL;DR

This paper introduces a CMOS-based quantum imager capable of high-resolution, low-flux photon correlation imaging, enabling new insights into quantum coherence phenomena like Bose-Einstein condensation.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel CMOS SPAD array device and a simple algorithm for imaging photon correlations at room temperature with high temporal resolution.

Findings

Achieves 80 ps temporal resolution.

Operates at fluxes as low as 10 photons/sec.

Potential for imaging quantum coherence phenomena.

Abstract

We report on a novel device capable of imaging second-order spatio-temporal correlations g2(x,t) between photons. The imager is based on a monolithic array of single-photon avalanche diodes (SPAD) implemented in CMOS technology and a simple algorithm to treat multiphoton time-of-arrival distributions from different SPAD pairs. It is capable of 80 ps temporal resolution with fluxes as low as 10 photons/s at room temperature. An important application might be the local imaging of g2 as a means of confirming the presence of true Bose-Einstein macroscopic coherence (BEC) of cavity exciton polaritons.