Efficient and stable single-photon counting at 1.55 microm by intracavity frequency upconversion

A single-photon signal at 1.55 microm was converted to the visible region by sum-frequency mixing with a strong pumping beam at 1064 nm in a periodically poled lithium niobate crystal placed in a diode-pumped Nd:YVO4 laser cavity. As the intracavity pump laser could be automatically stabilized without cavity lock, robust long-term stability was demonstrated for single-photon frequency upconversion, with a conversion efficiency of 74.3%. Such a stable single-photon upconversion was demonstrated to be efficient and robust for single-photon counting at 1550 nm, and the corresponding background noise was measured at less than 420 x 10(3) s(-1).     

Cascaded frequency upconversion for high-speed single-photon detection at 1550 nm

We present a device for two-stage frequency upconversion of single-photon-level signals in the 1.55 μm telecom band to the green spectral region with low excess noise, suitable for detection by low-timing-jitter silicon single-photon avalanche photodiodes (APDs). We achieve a net conversion efficiency of 87% and a system timing jitter below 70 ps FWHM, dominated by the jitter of the APD. Modifications of our device are suitable for downconversion of single photons from visible-wavelength quantum emitters into the telecom band.     

Second-harmonic generation of an optical frequency comb at 1.55 microm with periodically poled lithium niobate

To expand the span of the optical frequency comb (OFC), we generated the second harmonics of an OFC at 1.55microm , using a multiperiod periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) crystal. A coupled-cavity OFC generator with an average output power of 0.2 mW was amplified and expanded with a fiber amplifier and a dispersion-flattened fiber. The fundamental OFC average power and span were 100 mW and 45 THz, respectively. The second-harmonic comb's span was 3.2 THz; however, we tuned the center frequency over 30 THz by changing the poling period. We also demonstrated that the second-harmonic comb can be used for frequency-difference measurement.     

Milliwatt-peak-power pulse characterization at 1.55 microm by wavelength-conversion frequency-resolved optical gating

A novel wavelength-conversion configuration based on four-wave mixing in an optical fiber has been used to generate a frequency-resolved optical gating (FROG) trace identical to that obtained from second-harmonic generation (SHG). The use of an optical fiber waveguide permits enhanced measurement sensitivity compared with that of conventional SHG-FROG and has been used for complete characterization of 1-mW peak-power picosecond pulses at 1.55 microm from an unamplified semiconductor laser diode gain switched at 10 GHz.     

Efficient and low-noise single-photon detection in 1550 nm communication band by frequency upconversion in periodically poled LiNbO3 waveguides

We demonstrate 1500 nm band single-photon detection with low dark-count noise and a potentially high efficiency, which may allow long distance and high-bit-rate quantum key distribution. By developing frequency upconversion devices based on periodically poled lithium niobate waveguides, which are specifically designed to use a pump wavelength longer than that of communication-band photons, we completely eliminate the dark-count noise caused by parasitic nonlinear processes in the waveguide. We observed an internal conversion efficiency as high as 40% and demonstrated scaling down to the single photon level while maintaining a background dark-count rate of 10(2)s(-1).     

Time-resolved single-photon detection by femtosecond upconversion

We demonstrate a time-resolved single-photon detection technique based on ultrafast sum-frequency generation, providing femtosecond measurement capability for single photons in photonic quantum information processing. Noncollinear broadband upconversion in periodically poled MgO-doped stoichiometric lithium tantalate with an ultrafast pump and detection with a Si single-photon counter enable efficient detection of IR photons and temporal resolution of ~150 fs. We utilize the timing resolution to map the generation efficiency profile along the propagation axis of a periodically poled KTiOPO(4) crystal, revealing its local grating quality with millimeter resolution. We also apply the technique to two-photon coincidence measurements and directly demonstrate time anticorrelation between coincident-frequency entangled photons that are parametrically generated under extended phase-matching conditions.     

Efficient single-photon frequency conversion using a Sagnac interferometer

We propose a scheme for efficient optical frequency conversion at the single-photon power level. The scheme exploits the quantum interference of single-photon states at a three-level quantum emitter coupled to a Sagnac interferometer. We show that this device can achieve single-photon frequency up- or down-conversion with near unity efficiency.     

GaAs photonic crystal cavity with ultrahigh Q: microwatt nonlinearity at 1.55 microm

We haves realized and measured a GaAs nanocavity in a slab photonic crystal based on the design by Kuramochi et al. [Appl. Phys. Lett. 88, 041112 (2006)]. We measure a quality factor Q=700,000, which proves that ultrahigh Q nanocavities are also feasible in GaAs. We show that owing to larger two-photon absorption in GaAs nonlinearities appear at the microwatt level and will be more functional in gallium arsenide than in silicon nanocavities.     

High performance of gated-mode single-photon detector at 1.55 μm

High performances of single-photon detection at 1.55 μm were achieved by operating InGaAs/InP avalanche photodiodes in the gated mode at the optimized temperature. As short pulses used in the gated-mode detection produce strong spikes, a transformer-based method was invented to cancel the spikes, which makes it possible to reduce the dark counts by using short-gate pulse durations, and to discriminate the avalanche signals at low thresholds. The spike-cancellation single-photon detection at the optimized temperature produced a detection efficiency of 20% with a dark-count probability of 3.4 × 10⁻⁷ per pulse. With such a single-photon detector, a stable single-photon routing was realized in 155 km optical fibers with the average photon number 〈n〉 = 0.1 per pulse, exhibiting a fringe contrast of 87%.     

1.5 microm photon-counting optical time-domain reflectometry with a single-photon detector based on upconversion in a periodically poled lithium niobate waveguide

Optical time-domain reflectometry (OTDR) is one of the most powerful tools in the characterization of optical fiber links. We demonstrate a photon-counting OTDR system at 1.5 microm with a single-photon detector, which combines frequency upconversion in a periodically poled lithium niobate waveguide and a silicon avalanche photodiode. The system exhibits high sensitivity, good spatial resolution, and short measurement time.     

High-repetition-rate picosecond pulse generation at 1.5 microm by intracavity laser frequency modulation

We propose and experimentally demonstrate generation of transform-limited pulse trains at a 2.5-GHz repetition rate from a frequency-modulated erbium-ytterbium bulk glass laser by using an intracavity lithium niobate phase modulator and an external fiber Bragg grating filter. Light pulses with durations tunable from 40 to 80 ps and 0.2-mW fiber-coupled average power at 1535 nm have been obtained.     

Efficient generation of collimated frequency upconversion blue light in rubidium vapor

Pulsed collimated blue light at 420.3 nm is generated in hot Rb vapor by upconverting the 778.10 nm pumping beam through four wave mixing process. The energy conversion efficiency exceeds 1% when a 45 cm-long, 170°C heated Rb cell is used. The influence of cell temperature, wavelength, and energy of a pumping laser are fully examined. The efficiency of the photon conversion is found to be more sensitive to the blue detuning of the pump light and less sensitive to the red detuning of the pump light. This phenomenon can be explained by stimulated hyper-Raman scattering involved in the four-wave mixing process.     

Efficient infrared detection by two-step upconversion

Detection of infrared radiation by nonlinear upconversion into the visible region is considered. The method enables one to operate the system at room temperature. It is shown that by employing a second-step upconversion in commonly available visible nonlinear crystals like KDP, KD,1 P and ADP it is possible to detect infrared signals with sensitive photocathodes.     

用于激光等离子体中X射线测量的单光子计数型CCD的标定

介绍了单光子计数型CCD的工作原理。实验选择参数准确的X射线放射源前向辐照CCD的像元面,计数由此产生;通过积分获得X射线的强度分布,在CCD处于单光子计数状态下,扣除本底信号,得到该型CCD产生一个计数所需的光子能量,约6.453 eV。标定了该型CCD的探测效率。结果表明：在单光子计数型CCD的有效能区内,对于不同能量的入射光子,其探测效率不同,在5.3 keV处获得最高探测效率66％;随着能量的增大,探测效率降低。标定结果可为激光等离子体研究中定量测量X射线光谱提供实验参考。     

用于激光等离子体中X射线测量的单光子计数型CCD的标定

 介绍了单光子计数型CCD的工作原理。实验选择参数准确的X射线放射源前向辐照CCD的像元面,计数由此产生;通过积分获得X射线的强度分布,在CCD处于单光子计数状态下,扣除本底信号,得到该型CCD产生一个计数所需的光子能量,约6.453 eV。标定了该型CCD的探测效率。结果表明：在单光子计数型CCD的有效能区内,对于不同能量的入射光子,其探测效率不同,在5.3 keV处获得最高探测效率66％;随着能量的增大,探测效率降低。标定结果可为激光等离子体研究中定量测量X射线光谱提供实验参考。     

400-photon-per-pulse ultrashort pulse autocorrelation measurement with aperiodically poled lithium niobate waveguides at 1.55 microm

We demonstrate ultrasensitive intensity autocorrelation measurements of subpicosecond optical pulses in the telecommunication band by using aperiodically poled lithium niobate (A-PPLN) waveguides. The tightly confined optical beam in the waveguides and the chirped poling period facilitate simultaneous high second-harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency and broad phase-matching (PM) bandwidth. The resulting measurement sensitivity is 3.2 x 10(-7) mW2, approximately 500 times better than the previous record for intensity autocorrelations. We also show that chirped A-PPLN waveguides retain nearly the same SHG efficiency as the unchirped guide as long as the PM bandwidth is not significantly broader than the input spectrum.     

CO and CO2 spectroscopy using a 60 nm broadband tunable MEMS-VCSEL at approximately 1.55 microm

The spectroscopic application of a new broadband microelectromechanical-system-tunable vertical cavity surface-emitting laser with single-mode coverage of 60 nm (245 cm(-1)) in a single, continuous sweep is described. The operation of the device is illustrated with high-resolution spectra of CO and CO2 over 110 cm(-1) (27 nm) and 67 cm(-1) (17 nm), respectively, with the CO band shown for high-pressure scans between 1 and 3 bars (0.1-0.3 MPa). The achieved tuning range opens up new opportunities for tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy. The spectra were compared with HITRAN-derived model calculations. The benefits of a sensor based on this laser are greater speed, laser power, and tuning range.     

High-speed photorefraction at telecommunication wavelength 1.55 microm in Sn2P2S6:Te

We demonstrated for what is the first time to our knowledge photorefractive two-wave mixing in a bulk ferroelectric crystal using cw light at the telecommunication wavelength 1.55 microm. In the Te-doped ferroelectric semiconductor Sn2P2S6 with absorption constant <0.1 cm(-1) at 1.55 microm, grating recording times of 10 ms and a two-beam coupling gain of 2.8 cm(-1) have been measured at 350 mW power (intensity 440 W/cm(2)) without a necessity to apply an external electric field. With a moving grating technique, a maximal gain of 6.0 cm(-1) has been obtained.     

Efficient generation of tunable photon pairs at 0.8 and 1.6 microm

We demonstrate efficient generation of collinearly propagating, highly nondegenerate photon pairs in a periodically poled lithium niobate cw parametric downconverter with an inferred pair generation rate of 1.4x10(7)/s/mW of pump power. Detection of an 800-nm signal photon triggers a thermoelectrically cooled 20%-efficient InGaAs avalanche photodiode for the detection of the 1600-nm conjugate idler photon. Using single-mode fibers as spatial mode filters, we obtain a signal-conditioned idler-detection probability of ~3.1%.     

1.55 μm升频单光子探测量子密钥分配系统的性能研究

分析了1.55 μm升频单光子探测量子密钥分配(QKD)系统的性能,讨论了升频单光子探测器的主要参数：量子效率和暗计数与抽运功率的关系.比较了BB84协议、BBM92协议和DPSK协议的光纤QKD系统的性能：安全通信速率与距离的关系,通过比较得出升频探测器优于传统的InGaAs/InP雪崩二极管单光子探测器,用升频探测器后的通信距离能比传统的大两倍以上,能很好改善量子通信系统的性能. 关键词： 量子效率 通信速率 暗计数