Room temperature photon number resolving detector at telecom wavelengths

TL;DR

This paper introduces a room temperature photon number resolving detector operating at telecom wavelengths, utilizing up-conversion and silicon photomultiplier technology to achieve low-light measurement capabilities.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel PNR detector based on up-conversion and SiPM, achieving 4% efficiency and maintaining Poissonian statistics up to 20 photons at telecom wavelengths.

Findings

Achieved 4% detection efficiency.

Maintained Poissonian statistics up to 20 photons.

Calibrated for cross-talk effects.

Abstract

Large dynamic range room temperature photon number resolving (PNR) detectors can be very useful for measuring very low light intensities and for analyzing multiphoton quantum states. In this paper we present a PNR detector based on the up-conversion (UC) of telecom signal into visible wavelength and on its detection by a thermoelectrically cooled multi-pixel silicon avalanche photodiodode (APD), also known as Silicon Photon Multiplier (SiPM). An efficiency of 4% is attained and the poissonian statistics of input coherent states is maintained up to approximately 20 simultaneous detections. The cross-talk effects on the detected signal are estimated in order to properly calibrate the detector. This scheme can be used at arbitrary wavelengths above the visible spectral window with appropriate up-conversion.