A Molecule-Based Single-Photon Source Applied in Quantum Radiometry

Year: 2020

Authors: Lombardi PE., Trapuzzano M., Colautti M., Margheri G., Degiovanni IP., Lopez M., Kuck S., Toninelli C.

Autors Affiliation: Ist Nazl Ott CNR INO, Via N Carrara 1, I-50019 Florence, Italy;‎ Univ Firenze, Via G Sansone 1, I-50019 Florence, Italy;‎ Univ Firenze, LENS, Via N Carrara 1, I-50019 Florence, Italy; Ist Sistemi Complessi CNR ISC, Via Madonna Piano 10, I-50019 Florence, Italy; Phys Tech Bundesanstalt PTB, Bundesallee 100, D-38116 Braunschweig, Germany;‎ Ist Nazl Ric Metrol INRiM, Str Caccie 91, I-10135 Turin, Italy

Abstract: Single-photon sources (SPSs) based on quantum emitters hold promise in quantum radiometry as metrology standard for photon fluxes at the low light level. Ideally this requires control over the photon flux in a wide dynamic range, sub-Poissonian photon statistics, and narrow-band emission spectrum. In this work, a monochromatic SPS based on an organic dye molecule is presented, whose photon flux is traceably measured to be adjustable between 144 000 and 1320 000 photons per second at a wavelength of (785.6 +/- 0.1) nm, corresponding to an optical radiant flux between 36.5 and 334 fW. The high purity of the single-photon stream is verified, with a second-order autocorrelation function at zero time delay below 0.1 throughout the whole range. Such molecule-based SPS is hence used for the calibration of a single-photon avalanche detector against a low-noise analog photodiode traceable to the primary standard for optical radiant flux (i.e., the cryogenic radiometer). Due to the narrow bandwidth of the source, corrections to the detector efficiency arising from the spectral power distribution are negligible. With this major advantage, the developed device may finally realize a low-photon-flux standard source for quantum radiometry.

Journal/Review: ADVANCED QUANTUM TECHNOLOGIES

Volume: 3 (2)      Pages from: UNSP 1900083-1  to: UNSP 1900083-8

More Information: The work reported on this paper was funded by the project EMPIR 17FUN06 SIQUST. This project received funding from the EMPIR program co-financed by the Participating States and from the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation program.
KeyWords: quantum radiometry; single molecules; single-photon detectors; single-photon sources
DOI: 10.1002/qute.201900083

Citations: 25
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