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Results for “Photon counting”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 145 records · Page 8
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Leveraging lifetime information to perform real-time 3D single-particle tracking in noisy environments

A microscopy platform that leverages the arrival time of individual photons to enable 3D single-particle tracking of fast-moving (translational diffusion coefficient of ≃ 3.3 µm 2 /s) particles in high-background environments is reported here. It combines a hardware-based time-gating module, which enables the rate of photon processing to be as high as 100 MHz, with a two-photon excited 3D single-particle tracking confocal microscope to enable high sample penetration depth. Proof-of-principle experiments where single quantum dots are tracked in solutions containing dye-stained cellulose are shown, with tracking performance markedly improved using the hardware-based time-gating module. Furthermore, such a microscope design is anticipated to be of use to a variety of communities who wish to track single-particles in cellular environments, which commonly have high fluorescence and scattering background.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Spectral characterization of an SPDC source with a fast broadband spectrometer

Knowing the properties of single photons produced in a Spontaneous Parametric Down-Conversion (SPDC) source can be crucial for specific applications and uses. In particular, the spectral properties are of key relevance. Here, we investigate a commercial SPDC source using our fast broadband spectrometer. Our analysis is a valid method for other SPDC sources, as well as other single-photon generation techniques, thus providing a good example of how to use this spectrometer design. We calibrate the spectrometer using known lines of the argon emission spectrum. We show that the two down-converted photons from the SPDC source have different spectral properties depending on the pump power, and under which condition we measured spectrally similar down-converted photons. Finally, we were able to reconstruct and investigate the spectral information for the pump photon.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Nanoscale imaging of quantum dot dimers using time-resolved super-resolution microscopy combined with scanning electron microscopy

Abstract Time-resolved super-resolution microscopy was used in conjunction with scanning electron microscopy to image individual colloidal CdSe/CdS semiconductor quantum dots (QD) and QD dimers. The photoluminescence (PL) lifetimes, intensities, and structural parameters were acquired with nanometer scale spatial resolution and sub-nanosecond time resolution. The combination of these two techniques was more powerful than either alone, enabling us to resolve the PL properties of individual QDs within QD dimers as they blinked on and off, measure interparticle distances, and identify QDs that may be participating in energy transfer. The localization precision of our optical imaging technique was ∼3 nm, low enough that the emission from individual QDs within the dimers could be spatially resolved. While the majority of QDs within dimers acted as independent emitters, at least one pair of QDs in our study exhibited lifetime and intensity behaviors consistent with resonance energy transfer from a shorter lifetime and lower intensity donor QD to a longer lifetime and higher intensity acceptor QD. For this case, we demonstrate how the combined super-resolution optical imaging and scanning electron microscopy data can be used to characterize the energy transfer rate.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

1.2 Mfps standalone X-ray detector for Time-Resolved Experiments

We present a standalone and autonomous X-ray detector capable of operation with the speed of up to1.2Mfps. The detector utilizes UFXC32k hybrid pixel detectors for sensing X-rays, Spartan-6 LX45 FPGA placed in commercially available sbRIO 9628 controller for data acquisition and processing including a compression with zero-suppression algorithm. A Linux-RT system working on the 400 MHz Dual-Core CPU is used for FPGA control and data streaming to the higher-level system over 1 Gbps Ethernet connection. 1.2 M frames per second is achieved in so-called burst mode of operation while in zerodead-time mode 70 kfps is possible. Due to efficient data compression in FPGA there’s no need of using high-speed transceivers and Frame-Grabber cards on the data server side and the detector can stream the data infinitely over standard 1 Gbps network connection. Operation modes were tested at Advanced Photon Source Synchrotron at Argonne National Laboratory.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Parameter extraction for a SPICE model of an hTron superconducting thermal switch

Efficiently simulating large circuits is crucial to the development of superconducting nanowire-based electronics. However, current simulation tools for this technology are not adapted to the scaling of circuit size and complexity. We focus on the multilayered heater-nanocryotron (hTron), a promising superconducting nanowire-based switch used in applications such as superconducting nanowire single-photon detector readout. Previously, the hTron was modeled using traditional finite-element methods, which fall short in simulating systems at a larger scale. An empirical-based method would be better adapted to this task, enhancing both simulation speed and agreement with experimental data. In this work, we perform switching current and activation delay measurements on 17 hTron devices. We then develop a method for extracting physical fitting parameters used to characterize the devices. We build a SPICE behavioral model that reproduces the static and transient device behavior using these parameters, and validate it by comparing its performance to a model developed in prior work, showing an improvement in simulation time by several orders of magnitude. Furthermore, our model provides circuit designers with a tool to help understand the hTron’s behavior during all design stages, thus enabling broader use of the hTron across various new areas of application.

Caloritronics↗
DOE OSTI2021

Room-Temperature Mechanical Resonator with a Single Added or Subtracted Phonon

A room-temperature mechanical oscillator undergoes thermal Brownian motion with an amplitude much larger than the amplitude associated with a single phonon of excitation. This motion can be read out and manipulated using laser light using a cavity-optomechanical approach. By performing a strong quantum measurement (i.e., counting single photons in the sidebands imparted on a laser), we herald the addition and subtraction of single phonons on the 300 K thermal motional state of a 4 GHz mechanical oscillator. Further, to understand the resulting mechanical state, we implement a tomography scheme and observe highly non-Gaussian phase-space distributions. Using a maximum likelihood method, we infer the density matrix of the oscillator, and we confirm the counterintuitive doubling of the mean phonon number resulting from phonon addition and subtraction.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Bright trion emission from semiconductor nanoplatelets

The trion, a quasiparticle comprising one exciton and an additional charge carrier, offers unique opportunities for generating spin-photon interfaces that can be used in developing quantum networks. Trions are also actively sought after for integrated optoelectronic devices including photovoltaics, photodetectors, and spintronics. However, formation of trions in strongly confined low-dimensional materials is often deemed detrimental. This is because trion emission in such materials is typically prohibited due to the predominant nonradiative Auger recombination processes. Semiconductor nanoplatelets with their strong confinement in the thickness direction and extended lateral geometries exhibit large exciton coherence sizes and reduced carrier-carrier interactions that may enable unprecedented trion properties. In this paper, we perform optical spectroscopic studies of individual CdSe nanoplatelets at cryogenic temperatures and observe bright trion emission with intensities comparable to that of neutral exciton emission. We perform carrier dynamics studies of the nanoplatelets and find that due to their extended lateral geometry, the fast radiative decay rate of the nanoplatelets at cryogenic temperatures is comparable to the inhibited Auger recombination rate, leading to the bright trion emission. Our tight-binding theory further reveals distinct size-tunable trion emission in the nanoplatelets that is advantageous for efficient trion emission. These properties make semiconductor nanoplatelets potential candidates as photon sources for optoelectronic and quantum logic devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Observation of biexciton emission from single semiconductor nanoplatelets

Quasi-two-dimensional semiconductor nanoplatelets (NPLs) are intriguing systems for studying the influence of Auger recombination processes on the multiexciton emission efficiencies in the weak in-plane confinement regime. We investigate CdSe/CdS core/shell NPLs using cryogenic temperature single particle spectroscopy and observe bright biexciton emission at high excitation powers. The average binding energy of the biexcitons is determined to be 16.5 meV. The observed switching between the biexciton and trion states indicates charging-decharging dynamics of the NPLs mediated by the Auger ionization process. These findings are highly relevant for harvesting efficient biexciton emission for energy, lighting, and quantum applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Sixteen multiple-amplifier sensing charge-coupled devices and characterization techniques targeting the next generation of astronomical instruments

We present a candidate sensor for future spectroscopic applications, such as a Stage-5 Spectroscopic Survey Experiment or the Habitable Worlds Observatory. This type of charge-coupled device (CCD) sensor features multiple in-line amplifiers at its output stage allowing multiple measurements of the same charge packet, either in each amplifier or in the different amplifiers. Recently, the operation of an eight-amplifier sensor has been experimentally demonstrated, and we present the operation of a 16-amplifier sensor. This new sensor enables a noise level of ∼1 erms− with a single sample per amplifier. In addition, it is shown that sub-electron noise can be achieved using multiple samples per amplifier. In addition to demonstrating the performance of the 16-amplifier sensor, we aim to create a framework for future analysis and performance optimization of this type of detectors. New models and techniques are presented to characterize specific parameters, which are absent in conventional CCDs and Skipper CCDs: charge transfer between amplifiers and independent and common noise in the amplifiers and their processing.

16 multiple-amplifer sensing CCD (MAS-CCD)↗
DOE OSTI2024

Characterization of Crystal Properties and Defects in CdZnTe Radiation Detectors

CdZnTe-based detectors are highly valued because of their high spectral resolution, which is an essential feature for nuclear medical imaging. However, this resolution is compromised when there are substantial defects in the CdZnTe crystals. In this study, we present a learning-based approach to determine the spatially dependent bulk properties and defects in semiconductor detectors. This characterization allows us to mitigate and compensate for the undesired effects caused by crystal impurities. We tested our model with computer-generated noise-free input data, where it showed excellent accuracy, achieving an average RMSE of 0.43% between the predicted and the ground truth crystal properties. In addition, a sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the effect of noisy data on the accuracy of the model.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2020

Dynamically Reconfigurable Data Readout of Pixel Detectors for Automatic Synchronization with Data Acquisition Systems

Reconfigurable detectors with dynamically selectable sensing and readout modes are highly desirable for implementing edge computing as well as enabling advanced imaging techniques such as foveation. The concept of a camera system capable of simultaneous passive imaging and dynamic ranging in different regions of the detector is presented. Such an adaptive-autonomous detector with both spatial and temporal control requires programmable window of exposure (time frames), ability to switch between readout modes such as full-frame imaging and zero-suppressed data, modification of the number of pixel data bits and independent programmability for distinct detector regions. In this work, a method is presented for seamlessly changing time frames and readout modes without data corruption while still ensuring that the data acquisition system (DAQ) does not need to stop and resynchronize at each change of setting, thus avoiding significant dead time. Data throughput is maximized by using a minimum unique data format, rather than lengthy frame headers, to differentiate between consecutive frames. A data control and transmitter (DCT) synchronizes data transfer from the pixel to the periphery, reconfigures the data to transmit it serially off-chip, while providing optimized decision support based on a DAQ definable mode. Measurements on a test structure demonstrate that the DCT can operate at 1 GHz in a 65 nm LP CMOS process.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2025

Gravitational Photon Polarization Twist to Probe the Early Universe and the Galactic Center

It is known that gravitational wave backgrounds (GWBs) change the polarization state of photons. This letter explores the possibility of using this effect to detect GWBs. The proposed experiment features a vertically polarized laser pulse traveling through a GWB before reaching a birefringent material which separates photons by polarization. Photons that emerge the birefringent material horizontally polarized are counted as signal photons. A space-based setup of a million km (comparable to the LISA mission) with a millisecond laser pulse is capable to detect the hypothetical pulsars responsible for the excess of gamma rays from the galactic center. Varying the duration of the pulse can reveal a variety of GWBs from the early Universe as well.

Capdevilla, Rodolfo [Fermilab] (ORCID:000000020122↗
DOE OSTI2021

Multifunctional Superconducting Nanowire Quantum Sensors

Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) offer high-quantum-efficiency and low-dark-count-rate single-photon detection. In a growing number of cases, large magnetic fields are being incorporated into quantum microscopes, nanophotonic devices, and sensors for nuclear and high-energy physics that rely on SNSPDs, but superconducting devices generally perform poorly in large magnetic fields. Here, we demonstrate robust performance of amorphous SNSPDs in magnetic fields of up to ±6 T with a negligible dark-count rate and unchanged quantum efficiency at typical bias currents. Critically, we also show that the SNSPD can be used as a magnetometer with a sensitivity of better than 100μT/√Hz and as a thermometer with a sensitivity of 20μK/√Hz at 1 K. Thus, a single-photon detector integrated into a quantum device can be used as a multifunctional quantum sensor capable of describing the temperature and magnetic field on chip simply by varying the bias current to change the operating modality from single-photon detection to thermometry or magnetometry.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2020

The working principle of hybrid perovskite gamma-ray photon counter

Gamma-ray spectroscopy that quantifies the gamma-ray energies is a critical technology widely needed in astrophysics, nuclear material detection and medical treatment. The key is to precisely count gamma-ray photons using sensitive detectors. In this paper, we investigate the operational principles of chlorine-doped methylammonium lead tribromide (MAPbBr 3-x Cl x ) perovskite single crystal detectors that can efficiently count gamma-ray photon events with electrical pulses. Specifically, we find the main dark current originates from the thermally activated electron injection from the impurities, and using high work function contacts can block out the dark noise thus allows for efficient pulse collection at higher electrical fields ~500 V/cm. As a result, we observe strong electrical pulses when exposing the detector under radioactive sources emitting gamma-ray photons at various energies. Our results also reveal the fundamental issues that prevent the reliable observation of photo-electric peak. This work suggest pathway towards energy resolved gamma-ray spectroscopy using perovskite crystal detectors.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Tailoring spectral properties for entangled photon generation

The linear intensity scaling of entangled two-photon absorption (ETPA) offers a fundamental mechanism to enable nonlinear optical spectroscopy and microscopy under a substantially lower excitation power than is currently feasible. However, the long data acquisition time and low signal-to-noise ratio in reported ETPA-based spectroscopic and microscopic studies prevent its widespread application. To gain the full potential of this novel quantum light approach, it is essential to optimize entangled photon generation for significantly enhanced ETPA responses. Here, we report a new quantum light source by combining entangled photon generation with free-space femtosecond pump-pulse shaping. Here, through measurements of singles and coincidence counts by varying the patterns applied to a spatial light modulator to control the spectral widths of the pump pulses, we reveal strong dependence of the singles and coincidence count rates as well as their ratios on the spectral widths of pump pulses. An optimal spectral width for the highest ratios between the coincidence photon and the signal or idler photon count rates is also determined. Identification of such optimal spectral widths for entangled photon generation in the presence of postgeneration spectral selection makes this quantum light source a promising choice for ETPA-based spectroscopy and imaging.

Photon pairs & parametric down-conversion↗
DOE OSTI2020

Multi-Anode Square Microchannel Plate Photomultiplier Tube

Photek has developed a high performance 4096-anode photomultiplier tube using microchannel plates as the gain medium. Additionally, the detector has been designed in a square format to maximise the active area and allow for easy tiling to cover large areas using multiple units. This paper analyses the detector performance in terms of gain and photocathode uniformity, single photon timing accuracy, count rate capability, cross talk and magnetic field susceptibility.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗