Abstract

We present a method designed to efficiently extract optical signals from InGaAs avalanche photodiodes (APDs) operated in gated mode. In particular, our method permits an estimation of the fraction of counts that actually results from the signal being measured, as opposed to being produced by noise mechanisms, specifically by afterpulsing. Our method in principle allows the use of InGaAs APDs at high detection efficiencies, with the full operation bandwidth, either with or without resorting to the application of a dead-time. As we show below, our method can be used in configurations where afterpulsing exceeds the genuine signal by orders of magnitude, even near saturation. The algorithms that we have developed are suitable to be used either in real-time processing of raw detection probabilities or in post-processing applications, after a calibration step has been performed. The algorithms that we propose here can complement technologies designed for the reduction of afterpulsing.

© 2016 Optical Society of America

Performance of InGaAs/InP avalanche photodiodes as gated-mode photon counters

Grégoire Ribordy, Jean-Daniel Gautier, Hugo Zbinden, and Nicolas Gisin
Appl. Opt. 37(12) 2272-2277 (1998)

800 MHz Single-photon detection at 1550-nm using an InGaAs/InP avalanche photodiode operated with a sine wave gating

N. Namekata, S. Sasamori, and S. Inoue
Opt. Express 14(21) 10043-10049 (2006)

1.5 GHz single-photon detection at telecommunication wavelengths using sinusoidally gated InGaAs/InP avalanche photodiode

Naoto Namekata, Shunsuke Adachi, and Shuichiro Inoue
Opt. Express 17(8) 6275-6282 (2009)

Balanced, gated-mode photon detector for quantum-bit discrimination at 1550 nm

Akihisa Tomita and Kazuo Nakamura
Opt. Lett. 27(20) 1827-1829 (2002)

Single-photon counting for the 1300–1600-nm range by use of Peltier-cooled and passively quenched InGaAs avalanche photodiodes

John G. Rarity, Thomas E. Wall, Kevin D. Ridley, Philippa C. M. Owens, and Paul R. Tapster
Appl. Opt. 39(36) 6746-6753 (2000)