Precise Monte Carlo Simulation of Single-Photon Detectors

TL;DR

This paper presents a Monte Carlo simulation method for single-photon detectors that accurately models their behavior, particularly for applications like quantum random number generation, across a wide range of photon fluxes.

Contribution

The paper introduces a detailed Monte Carlo simulation tailored for avalanche-diode-based single-photon detectors, adaptable to various applications.

Findings

Simulation reproduces autocorrelation of random bits accurately

Effective across four orders of magnitude of photon flux

Potentially adaptable to other detector-based applications

Abstract

We demonstrate the importance and utility of Monte Carlo simulation of single-photon detectors. Devising an optimal simulation is strongly influenced by the particular application because of the complexity of modern, avalanche-diode-based single-photon detectors.. Using a simple yet very demanding example of random number generation via detection of Poissonian photons exiting a beam splitter, we present a Monte Carlo simulation that faithfully reproduces the serial autocorrelation of random bits as a function of detection frequency over four orders of magnitude of the incident photon flux. We conjecture that this simulation approach can be easily modified for use in many other applications.