The ID Qube NIR Free-Running brings a major breakthrough for single-photon detection in free-running operation at telecom wavelengths. It provides a cost-effective solution for applications in which asynchronous photon detection is essential, such as photon correlation or time of flight measurements. Moreover, it is especially suited for applications such as LiDAR, where compactness is a key requirement. The detector offers a gate input port connector, designed to avoid saturation or undesired detections. The cooled InGaAs/InP avalanche photodiode and associated electronics have been designed to achieve especially low dark count and after pulsing rates.
The ID Qube NIR Gated is a fast-gated single photon detector optimized for telecom wavelengths. The ID Qube delivers precise and reliable single-photon detection, with high quantum efficiency, low timing jitter and low detector noise. It provides a cost-effective solution for applications in which synchronous photon detection is essential, such as quantum communication and Quantum Key Distribution. It is also well suited to applications such as LiDAR where compactness is a key requirement. The detector offers a gate input designed to avoid saturation or undesired detections and can also be operated in free-running mode. The cooled InGaAs/InP avalanche photodiode and associated electronics have been designed to achieve especially low dark count and after pulsing rates, even up to 100 MHz gated operations.
The ID Qube NIR Free-running and Gated is available in free-space or fibre-coupled (MMF 62.5 μm FC/PC) versions.
Features
- High-efficiency single-photon detection (up to 35%)
- Optimised for free-running operation
- Precise timing (<200 ps jitter, typ. <150 ps)
- ID Qube NIR Free-Running Features Compact, cost-effective, and dependable performance
- Fast gated (up to 100 MHz) and free-running
- Ultra-low noise (<800 cps at 10%)
- Free space or Fibre-coupled optical input
- Broadband detection (900—1700 nm)
Available In Eight Combinations
ID Qube-NIR-XX-YY-ZZ
- XX : GAT (Gated model) or FR (Free running model)
- YY : FS (Free space model) or MMF (Fibre coupled model, compatible with SMF and MMF FC/PC couplers)
- ZZ : STD (Standard noise model) or LN (Low noise model)
Gated and free-running detection at telecom wavelengths
The ID Qube has been specially designed to achieve low dark count and after pulsing rates. The ID Qube NIR can operate at six detection efficiency levels(1)(2) of 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30% and 35% with a deadtime between 100 ns and 80 μs. In gated mode it accepts gates as short as 3 ns (500 ns for the Free running model) with a maximum repetition frequency of 100 MHz (1 MHz for the Free-running model). The arrival time of photons is reflected by a 10 ns LVTTL/NIM (user-selectable) pulse available at the SMA connector with a timing resolution typically as low as 150 ps at 25% efficiency. A simple USB interface allows the user to set the efficiency level and the deadtime.
Free-Running Operation
All ID Qube NIR models can also be operated in free running (asynchronous) mode. The APD is biased above its breakdown voltage in the so-called Geiger mode. Upon a photon absorption of a photon and the associated avalanche, the photon arrival time is reflected by the rising edge of a 10 ns wide LVTTL/NIM pulse at the Detection OUT connector.
Gated Operation
Detector gating — fast switching of the detector response — is achieved through an external electrical pulse source, such as an ID1000 Time Controller. Both models of the ID Qube NIR can be gated, with slow (maximum 1 MHz) gating of the ID Qube Free-running vs the fast (maximum 100 MHz) gating with the ID Qube Gated model. The ID Qube NIR Gated allows for high-speed synchronization with external signals, such as in a fluorescence microscopy setup, while the slower gating of the ID Qube Free running still proves useful for mitigating background noise.
Both ID Qube Gated and ID Qube Free-running models are designed for fast avalanche quenching, strongly limiting after pulsing (where additional ‘false’ detections are triggered by the tail of a ‘real’ detection pulse). This allows for even shorter deadtimes, increasing the maximum count rate without sacrificing performance.
