High efficiency single photon detection via frequency up-conversion

Authors: Aaron P. Vandevender¹; Paul G. Kwiat¹

Source: Journal of Modern Optics, Volume 51, Numbers 9-10, 15 June-10 July 2004 , pp. 1433-1445(13)

Publisher: Taylor and Francis Ltd

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Abstract:

We propose a method of single photon detection of infrared (IR) photons at potentially higher efficiencies and lower noise than allowed by traditional IR band avalanche photodiodes (APDs). By up-converting the photon from the IR, e.g. 1550 nm, to a visible wavelength in a nonlinear crystal, we can utilize the much higher efficiency of silicon APDs at these wavelengths. We have used a periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) crystal and a pulsed 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser to perform the up-conversion to a 631 nm photon. We observed conversion efficiencies as high as sim

80%, and demonstrated scaling down to the single photon level while maintaining a background of 3×10^-4 dark counts per count. We also propose a 2-crystal extension of this scheme, whereby orthogonal polarizations may be up-converted coherently, thus enabling complete quantum state transduction of arbitrary states.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1080/09500340410001670884

Affiliations: 1: Department of Physics University of Illinois 1110 W Green St. Urbana IL USA

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