Applications of single photon detectors in astronomy and optical communications

by Prof. Phil Mauskopf

Thursday 13 Jan 2022, 15:30 → 16:30 US/Eastern

Detectors with the capability of measuring the arrival time of individual (optical) photons have seen a steady improvement over the last few decades in figures of merit including: timing resolution, dark counts and energy resolution. Silicon-based avalanche photodiode single photon detectors (SPADs) are available commercially with sub-100 ps timing resolution and dark counts less than 1 kHz. Superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs) are also available commercially with on order 10 ps timing resolution and even lower dark counts. I will describe our work on making a modern version of the Hanbury-Brown and Twiss intensity interferometer using SPADs and SNSPDs and small (< 1 meter) diameter telescopes and some of the potential observations. I will also describe future challenges and opportunities for single photon detectors for interplanetary and interstellar communications systems.

 

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