Few-photon imaging at 1550 nm using a low-timing-jitter superconducting nanowire single-photon detector

Abstract

We demonstrated a laser depth imaging system based on the time-correlated single-photon counting technique, which was incorporated with a low-jitter superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD), operated at the wavelength of 1550 nm. A sub-picosecond time-bin width was chosen for photon counting, resulting in a discrete noise of less than one/two counts for each time bin under indoor/outdoor daylight conditions, with a collection time of 50 ms. Because of the low-jitter SNSPD, the target signal histogram was significantly distinguishable, even for a fairly low retro-reflected photon flux. The depth information was determined directly by the highest bin counts, instead of using any data fitting combined with complex algorithms. Millimeter resolution depth imaging of a low-signature object was obtained, and more accurate data than that produced by the traditional Gaussian fitting method was generated. Combined with the intensity of the return photons, three-dimensional reconstruction overlaid with reflectivity data was realized.

Superconducting Nanowires for Single‐Photon Detection: Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities

“…integrated the SNSPD with waveguides by flip‐chip transferring the detector (Figure D). Finally, several designs have focused on free‐space coupling of single photons to the SNSPDs, for example, for communication and imaging applications …”

Sponsored Collection | 90 Years of Scientific Advances at the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, CAS

“…The goal of SKLT 2 is to meet emerging demands for transducer technologies for national security, aerospace, energy, the automotive sector, industrial applications, health care, and consumer electronics, among other areas. In 2011, SKLT 2 SKLT 2 was involved in early efforts to develop key technologies in the field of MNTST, and has achieved breakthroughs in important scientific and technical areas within the following two major research directions:…”

Characterize the Speed of a Photon-Number-Resolving Superconducting Nanowire Detector

“…High-speed superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) are of interest for a range of single photon counting applications such as laser radar [1], optical communications [2] and single-photon imaging [3]. For fiber coupled applications, SNSPDs are designed with a large active area for matching the fiber diameter, which has a limited counting rate of a few tens of MHz due to a large kinetic inductance of the superconducting nanowires [4].…”