dc.contributor.author | Fitzpatrick, Catherine Rose | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2014-03-12T17:24:04Z | |
dc.date.available | 2014-03-12T17:24:04Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2013-10 | |
dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10399/2633 | |
dc.description.abstract | Single-photon sources and detectors underpin the development of quantum photonic
technologies. This thesis presents research into single-photon devices with a focus
on telecom wavelengths.
A two-channel superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD) system
was constructed and characterised. It provides free-running single-photon detection
at telecom wavelengths with low dark counts and timing jitter below 90 ps
FWHM. The system detection e ciency at 1310 nm is 1 % with a 1 kHz dark count
rate, which was competitive when the SNSPD was built in 2009. In this work, the
low timing jitter of the SNSPD was bene cial to the development of a two-photon
interference experiment.
Experiments were carried out with single-photon sources based on self-assembled
InAs/GaAs quantum dots in micropillar cavities. Preliminary measurements of the
second-order correlation function gave g(²)(τ=0) = 0.12 ± 0.04 with above-band
excitation and g(²)( τ = 0) = 0:07 ± 0:05 with near-resonant excitation. These values
agree with recent papers reporting improved measurements with near-resonant
excitation. Irreparable damage to the sample prevented further investigation.
This thesis also presents the design, construction and characterisation of a highresolution
single-photon spectrometer for telecom wavelengths. The instrument,
a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer, was optimised for the characterisation of
quantum photonic sources. It has a spectral resolution of 550 MHz and a free
spectral range of (119.0 ± 0.4) GHz. | en_US |
dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
dc.publisher | Heriot-Watt University | en_US |
dc.publisher | Engineering and Physical Sciences | en_US |
dc.rights | All items in ROS are protected by the Creative Commons copyright license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/scotland/), with some rights reserved. | |
dc.title | Single-photon metrology with superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors | en_US |
dc.type | Thesis | en_US |