通过研究单光子探测器对微弱激光脉冲的暂态响应特性,利用不同光子数的响应时间实现光子数的分辨测量。理论上分析了光子数响应时间与微弱光脉冲探测时间的对应关系。实验上通过测量不同光强下单光子探测器的暂态响应,测量到1550nm波段单光子、双光子和三光子的响应时间分别为10.73±O.17、8.75±0.32和5.984-0.77ns。实现精确区分微弱光场中的光子数。分析了单光子探测器光子数统计涨落引起的微弱激光脉冲的探测时间变化对光子数响应时间测量的影响。
We investigate the response time function of the avalanche photodiode single-photon detector for weak laser pulses with different incident photons and present a method to distinguish the incident photon number based on the response time of different photons. The association between the response time of different photons and detection time of weak laser pulse is analyzed theoretically. The transient response time of the single-photon detector under different incident laser power values is investigated ex- perimentally. The response time values of one photon,two photons and three photons at the wavelength of 1 550 nm are achieved to be 10.73±0.22 ns,8.75±0. 62 ns,5. 98±1.27 ns,respectively,whieh can be an accurate criterion for photon-number-resolving of week light field. The dependence of photon re sponse time on the change of weak laser pulse detection time induced by photon number statistical fluctuation of the single-photon detector is also analyzed.