Unveiling photon statistics with a 100-pixel photon-number-resolving detector

TL;DR

This paper introduces a high-resolution, on-chip photon detector capable of resolving up to 100 photons, enabling detailed quantum photon statistics analysis and advancing quantum optics measurement techniques.

Contribution

The authors demonstrate a novel 100-pixel superconducting nanowire detector that achieves high-fidelity photon number resolution at the few-photon level, a significant improvement over existing detectors.

Findings

Resolved photon statistics of a thermal light source for the first time

Measured high-order correlation functions up to N=15

Observed photon-subtraction-induced photon number enhancement

Abstract

Single-photon detectors are ubiquitous in quantum information science and quantum sensing. They are key enabling technologies for numerous scientific discoveries and fundamental tests of quantum optics. Photon-number-revolving detectors are the ultimate measurement tool of light. However, few detectors to date can provide high-fidelity photon number resolution at few-photon levels. Here, we demonstrate an on-chip detector that can resolve up to 100 photons by spatiotemporally multiplexing an array of superconducting nanowires along a single waveguide. The unparalleled photon number resolution paired with the high-speed response exclusively allows us to unveil the quantum photon statistics of a true thermal light source for the first time, which is realized by direct measurement of high-order correlation function g^(N) with N up to 15, observation of photon-subtraction-induced photon number enhancement, and quantum-limited state discrimination against a coherent light source. Our detector provides a viable route towards various important applications, including photonic quantum computation and quantum metrology.