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Updated: Jun 20, 2026
12:19
Measurement of Quantum Interference in a Silicon Ring Resonator Photon Source
Published on: April 4, 2017
On the application of a monolithic array for detecting intensity-correlated photons emitted by different source types
D L Boiko1, N J Gunther, N Brauer
1Centre Suisse d'Electronique et de Microtechnique SA, 2002, Neuchâtel, Switzerland. dmitri.boiko@csem.ch
Optics Express
|August 19, 2009
Summary
Accurate measurement of photon correlations requires careful consideration of subtle effects. A novel monolithic SPAD array and off-chip algorithm ensure correct normalization of second-order photon correlations (g(2)) across diverse light sources.
Area of Science:
- Quantum Optics
- Photonics
- Experimental Physics
Background:
- Accurate measurement of intensity-correlated photons, crucial for quantum optics, involves subtle complexities.
- The original Hanbury Brown and Twiss (HBT) experiments highlighted early challenges in photon correlation measurements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the difficulties in measuring second-order photon correlations (g(2)) across various light fields.
- To develop and validate a method for accurate g(2) measurement using a novel detector array and algorithm.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a monolithic 4x4 array of single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs).
- Developed an off-chip algorithm for processing streaming data and handling multiple photon arrivals.
- Investigated g(2) in multimode laser, intensity-modulated lamp, and thermal light sources.
Main Results:
- The off-chip algorithm guarantees a correctly normalized g(2) function, even with detector saturation.
- Demonstrated the impact of detector background correlations and afterpulsing on g(2) measurements.
- Showcased the capability of the monolithic SPAD array to measure effects not accessible with stand-alone detectors.
Conclusions:
- The developed monolithic SPAD array and off-chip algorithm provide a robust method for accurate second-order photon correlation measurements.
- The system effectively addresses challenges posed by detector limitations and diverse light field statistics.
- Enables novel investigations into photon correlation phenomena previously unmeasurable.
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