Radiometric reference for weak radiations: comparison of methods

Abstract

The parametric down conversion of photons generated in a non-linear crystal gives rise to two correlated photons. When associated with a system of coincidence counting, this phenomenon allows one to measure the quantum efficiencies of detectors working at a normal rate of photon counting, without the need for reference sources or detectors. At the Institut National de Métrologie (INM) (France), this method was implemented with the aim of developing a new standard detector for the absolute measurement of very weak radiation. The validation of this method is presented from an international comparison between the laboratories of the INM (France) and the Istituto Elettrotecnico Nazionale Galileo Ferraris (IENGF) (Italy) and from a comparison of methods at INM using the French national standard detector, the cryogenic radiometer.

Quantum and Classical Characterization of Single/Few Photon Detectors

“…This kind of protocol has been experimentally implemented many times (e.g. Ref, 44 ). According to Ref.s [ 39;61 ], the statistical uncertainty associated with this two-photon measurement technique is deduced by applying the uncertainty propagation law 63 to the model of Eq.…”

“…The method using PDC to calibrate detectors is a well-established technique [37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55] . It has the peculiarity of being intrinsically absolute, as it does not rely on any externally calibrated radiometric standards 40 .…”

“…In the first part of this article we will focus on the detection quantum efficiency, η DU T (where DUT stands for device under test), defined as the overall probability of observing the presence of a single photon impinging on the DUT. In the following we will see how to extend the Klyshko's absolute measurement technique (named Klyshko twophoton technique, KTPT) based on correlated photons obtained from PDC, originally developed for single-photon detectors [37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55] , to PNRDs. In order to characterize the detection behavior of PNRDs, together with the estimation of η DU T it is fundamental to provide a theoretical model for their measurement process.…”

Metrology Perspective of Single‐Photon Detectors: Review on Global Calibration Methods

“…The term “effective” has come from several intercomparisons carried out in the last two decades. [ 85,113–115 ] In 2007, Sergey V. Polyakov and Alan L. Migdall performed an inter‐comparison of the two methods to compare the relative standard uncertainty achieved by both methods, and it was found to be almost identical. (0.18% for the correlated technique and 0.17% for the substitution method).…”

Single-Photon Detector Calibration

“…Chapter 11, provide a fundamentally absolute way to calibrate single-photon detectors [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. Chapter 11, provide a fundamentally absolute way to calibrate single-photon detectors [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19].…”