High-speed gate-mode single photon detection module using dual anode single photon avalanche diode

High-speed gate mode single-photon detectors based on single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) commonly suffer from the after-pulsing and dark noises es. In this article, a compact, low-noise single-photon detector useful for commercial quantum cryptography systems, which can detect weak avalanche signals by using InGaAs/InP dual anode SPADs (DA-SPADs), is introduced. The single-photon detection efficiency of 25 % is achieved with the dark count probability of 4.2 x10 ⁻⁶ /gate and the after-pulsing probability of 3.9 % at 1 GHz gating frequency and −5 °C SPAD temperature. A few more useful test results with higher temperature are also introduced.