Development and Characteristics Measurement
of Single Photon Detectors, Based on InGaAs/InP
Avalanche Photodiodes, Designed for Quantum
Communication Lines
S.V. Zaitsev1, A.V. Miller2, A.V. Losev2, V.L. Kurochkin2, Y.V. Kurochkin2
1FemtoVision; 2Russian Quantum Center, Business Center «Ural», 100,
Novaya st., Skolkovo, Moscow reg., 143025, Russia
The Appearance of Our Single Photon
Detector Based on Avalanche Photodiode
The appearance of the avalanche diode we use
The detector’s case – view from above
Single Photon Detector’s PCB
The PCB – view from above
The PCB – bottom view
The SPD’s Electric Circuit Diagram
SPD signal board circuit diagram
SPD signal board operating principles
Oscillogram 1. C2 – the input clock signal, C3 – gate pulses to diode, C1 – gate pulses for balance, C4 – output signal
SPD signal board operating principles
Oscillogram 2. C2 – the input clock signal, C3 – dead time trigger output, C1 – gate pulses to diode, C4 – output signal
SPD testing
The main components of a stand for testing single photon detectors are a laser, an optical power meter, a
variable optical attenuator, a data generator, a single photon detector under test, and a pulse counter.
SPD testing
The circuit diagram of the stand for testing single photons detectors
SPD testing
Dark count probability per gate:
C
Quantum efficiency:  
  L
pDC
pDC  0

 DC
L

deadtime
µ - the average number of photons
 C , DC - the average count frequency and average dark count frequency
- deadtime
 DC
 L  1  DC  D



 deadtime


C
1
1
  C  pDC 

 
 pDC 
  1  pDC    L
  1  pDC    L  1  C  D


νL – optical pulses frequency
D
pDC 


SPD testing
1
50
40
0,01
Quantum Efficiency, %
Dark Count Probability per Gate
0,1
0,001
1E-4
1E-5
30
20
1E-6
10
1E-7
1E-8
0
60
61
62
63
64
Reverse Bias Voltage, V
Dark count probability vs the DC
component of reverse bias voltage
65
60
61
62
63
64
65
Reverse Bias Voltage, V
Quantum efficiency vs the DC
component of reverse bias voltage
○ - νL = 1.0 MHz, deadtime mechanism is disabled, □ - νL = 1.0 MHz, 5.6 µs deadtime; ∆ - νL = 41 MHz, 5.6 µs deadtime.
SPD testing
1
QBER 
Dark Count Probability per Gate
0,1
0,01
0,001
Nw
100%
Nw  Nr
QBER should be less than 11 %.
1E-4
1E-5
1E-6
1E-7
1E-8
0
10
20
30
40
50
Quantum Efficiency, %
Dark count probability vs QE
○ - νL = 1.0 MHz, deadtime mechanism is disabled, □ - νL = 1.0 MHz, 5.6 µs deadtime; ∆ - νL = 41 MHz, 5.6 µs deadtime.
Dash line – theoretical curve: quantum bit error rate = 11 %, interferometric visibility = 0.99, 30.6 km quantum channel length
Acknowledgements
• - The support from Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian
Federation in the framework of the Federal Program (Agreement
14.579.21.0103, ID RFMEFI57915X0103) is greatly acknowledged;
• - Also, we are grateful to Rodimin Vadim for his expert advices at SPDs
testing.