Single-photon source characterization with infrared-sensitive superconducting single-photon detectors

Abstract

Single-photon sources and detectors are key enabling technologies in quantum information processing. Nanowire-based superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPDs) offer single-photon detection from the visible well into the infrared with low dark counts, low jitter and short dead times. We report on the high fidelity characterization (via antibunching and spontaneous emission lifetime measurements) of a cavity-coupled single-photon source at 902 nm using a pair of SSPDs. The twin SSPD scheme reported here is well-suited to the characterization of single-photon sources at telecom wavelengths (1310 nm, 1550 nm).