Bias dependant jitter of InGaAs(P) single photon detectors

摘要

Output pulse jitter from single photon detection events in single photon sensitive detectors sets an upper limit to the useful bandwidth of a photon counting signal processing system. Unlike counting losses, single photon jitter is not improved by splitting the signal across a detector array, but rather degrades due to the introduction of additional variable propagation delays in additional wiring. We have observed that both the mean delay from photon arrival to output pulse and the delay variance (jitter) can be a strong function of detector bias conditions, as well as incident illumination conditions. We have characterized samples of both Geiger mode and negative-avalanche feedback (NAF) InGaAs(P) single photon detectors for single photon timing jitter at both 1.06 and 1.5 microns at temperatures ranging from 298K to below 200K. Using pulse-picked mode-locked laser sources, we attenuate the beam greatly to ensure that we are measuring true single photon mean delay and jitter, not a multi-photon response.