Gigacount/second photon detection with InGaAs avalanche photodiodes

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates high-speed single photon detection at telecom wavelengths using a cooled InGaAs avalanche photodiode with a self-differencing circuit, achieving gigacount per second rates suitable for quantum information.

Contribution

It introduces a high-frequency gated InGaAs APD with self-differencing, enabling gigacount per second detection rates at telecom wavelengths.

Findings

Count rate is linear with photon flux over four orders of magnitude.

Device saturates at 1 gigacount per second at high photon flux.

Potential for high bit rate quantum information applications.

Abstract

We demonstrate high count rate single photon detection at telecom wavelengths using a thermoelectrically-cooled semiconductor diode. Our device consists of a single InGaAs avalanche photodiode driven by a 2 GHz gating frequency signal and coupled to a tuneable self-differencing circuit for enhanced detection sensitivity. We find the count rate is linear with the photon flux in the single photon detection regime over approximately four orders of magnitude, and saturates at 1 gigacount/s at high photon fluxes. This result highlights promising potential for APDs in high bit rate quantum information applications.