GHz photon-number resolving detection with high detection efficiency and low noise by ultra-narrowband interference circuits

We demonstrate the photon-number resolution(PNR)capability of a 1.25 GHz gated InGaAs single-photon avalanche photodiode(APD)that is equipped with a simple,low-distortion ultra-narrowband interference circuit for the rejection of its background capacitive response.Through discriminating the avalanche current amplitude,we are able to resolve up to four detected photons in a single detection gate with a detection efficiency as high as 45%.The PNR capability is limited by the avalanche current saturation,and can be increased to five photons at a lower detection efficiency of 34%.The PNR capability,combined with high efficiency and low noise,will find applications in quantum information processing technique based on photonic qubits.

Photon number resolvability of multi-pixel superconducting nanowire single photon detectors using a single flux quantum circuit

Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors(SNSPDs) are typical switching devices capable of detecting single photons with almost 100% detection efficiency. However, they cannot determine the exact number of incident photons during a detection event. Multi-pixel SNSPDs employing multiple read-out channels can provide photon number resolvability(PNR), but they require increased cooling power and costly multi-channel electronic systems. In this work, a single-flux quantum(SFQ) circuit is employed, and PNR based on multi-pixel SNSPDs is successfully demonstrated. A multi-input magnetically coupled DC/SFQ converter(MMD2 Q) circuit with a mutual inductance M is used to combine and record signals from a multi-pixel SNSPD device. The designed circuit is capable of discriminating the amplitude of the combined signals in accuracy of Φ_(0)/M with Φ_(0) being a single magnetic flux quantum. By employing the MMD2 Q circuit,the discrimination of up to 40 photons can be simulated. A 4-parallel-input MMD2 Q circuit is fabricated, and a PNR of3 is successfully demonstrated for an SNSPD array with one channel reserved for the functional verification. The results confirm that an MMD2 Q circuit is an effective tool for implementing PNR with multi-pixel SNSPDs.

Ray Tracing for Doppler Backscattering System in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak

The Doppler backscattering system has been widely used for turbulence measurements,and the microwave beam will be backscattered near the cut-off layer when the Brag condition is fulfilled.In tokamak,the ray-tracing code is used to obtain the radial position and perpendicular wave number of the scattering layer for turbulence velocity measurement and the WKB（Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin） approximation should be satisfied for optical propagation.To calculate the backscattering location and wave number at the cut-off layer only,a single ray tracing in the cross section is enough,while for spatial and wave number resolution calculation,multiple rays reflecting the microwave beam size should be used.Considering the angle between the wave vector and the magnetic field,a three-dimension quasi-optical Gaussian ray tracing is sometimes needed.