Low-noise switched integration amplifier for low-photon flux radiometry

A photodetector signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) over 1000 is one of the prerequisites to realizing the correlated photon radiometric benchmark with a relative standard uncertainty of 0.3% (k=1). To improve the SNR for low-photon flux detection, a switched integration amplifier (SIA) is designed to achieve a noise equivalent current of a fA level. A wide spectrum and low-photon flux measurement facility are built to evaluate the SNR at a photon rate of 10⁸ s ^-1 within the spectral range of 350-1000 nm. SNRs of the SIA-based Si photodetector are shown to be greater than 1000 at representative wavelengths.