Non-avalanche single photon detection without carrier transit-time delay through quantum capacitive coupling
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-1-2017
Keywords
Quantum dot, single photon
Abstract
Searching for innovative approaches to detect single photons remains at the center of science and technology for decades. This paper proposes a zero transit-time, non-avalanche quantum capacitive photodetector to register single photons. In this detector, the absorption of a single photon changes the wave function of a single electron trapped in a quantum dot (QD), leading to a charge density redistribution nearby. This redistribution translates into a voltage signal through capacitive coupling between the QD and the measurement probe. Using InAs QD/AlAs barrier as a model system, the simulation shows that the output signal reaches ~4 mV per absorbed photon, promising for high-sensitivity, ps single-photon detection.
Citation
Zhang, Y., Wu, Y., Wang, X., Fossum, E. R., Kumar, R., Liu, J., Salamo, G., & Yu, S. (2017). Non-avalanche single photon detection without carrier transit-time delay through quantum capacitive coupling. Optics Express, 25 (22), 26508-26518. https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.25.026508