TY - GEN
T1 - Tests of systematic effects in an n-channel FPGA time-to-digital converter for continuous acquisition with high photon count rate using correlation measurements
AU - Hodges, Todd M.W.
AU - Lu, Daniel
AU - Mozdzen, Thomas
AU - Mauskopf, Philip D.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© COPYRIGHT SPIE. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - The continuous time-tagging of photon arrival times for high count rate sources is necessary for applications such as optical communications, quantum key encryption, and astronomical measurements. Detection of Hanbury- Brown Twiss photon correlations from thermal sources such as stars requires a combination of high dynamic range, long integration times and low systematics in the photon detection and time tagging system. The continuous nature of the measurements and the need for highly accurate timing resolution requires a customized time-to-digital converter (TDC). We used a custom built, two-channel, FPGA-based TDC to continuously time tag single photons with sub clock cycle timing resolution for correlation measurements. We used autocorrelation and cross-correlation measurement tools to constrain spurious systematic effects in the pulse count data as a function of system variables. These variables included, but were not limited to, incident photon count rate, incoming signal attenuation, and measurements of fixed signals. We present an overview of the results of these tests, the types of systematic effects that the results imply, and how those effects may be accounted for and corrected to levels below those required for photon correlation measurements.
AB - The continuous time-tagging of photon arrival times for high count rate sources is necessary for applications such as optical communications, quantum key encryption, and astronomical measurements. Detection of Hanbury- Brown Twiss photon correlations from thermal sources such as stars requires a combination of high dynamic range, long integration times and low systematics in the photon detection and time tagging system. The continuous nature of the measurements and the need for highly accurate timing resolution requires a customized time-to-digital converter (TDC). We used a custom built, two-channel, FPGA-based TDC to continuously time tag single photons with sub clock cycle timing resolution for correlation measurements. We used autocorrelation and cross-correlation measurement tools to constrain spurious systematic effects in the pulse count data as a function of system variables. These variables included, but were not limited to, incident photon count rate, incoming signal attenuation, and measurements of fixed signals. We present an overview of the results of these tests, the types of systematic effects that the results imply, and how those effects may be accounted for and corrected to levels below those required for photon correlation measurements.
KW - Correlation measurements
KW - Free-space optical communications
KW - Hanbury-Brown Twiss
KW - Intensity interferometry
KW - Single photon detection
KW - Systematics
KW - Time-to-digital converter
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85109091931&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85109091931&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1117/12.2588015
DO - 10.1117/12.2588015
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85109091931
T3 - Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
BT - Advanced Photon Counting Techniques XV
A2 - Itzler, Mark A.
A2 - Bienfang, Joshua C.
A2 - McIntosh, K. Alex
PB - SPIE
T2 - Advanced Photon Counting Techniques XV 2021
Y2 - 12 April 2021 through 16 April 2021
ER -