Silicon avalanche photodiode operation and lifetime analysis for small satellites

Tan, Ying Chuan; Chandrasekara, Rakhitha; Cheng, Cliff; Ling, Alexander

doi:10.1364/oe.21.016946

Cited by 46 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…2 (b)). The observed increase in the background event rate is larger than predicted by simulation of asymptotic accumulation of radiation damage [33]. The cause for this increase is currently unknown and is under investigation.…”

Section: In-orbit Operation and Performance Comparisonmentioning

confidence: 75%

“…In particular, the full performance of the polarization rotator can be re-constructed by observing their effect on the strongly co-polarized SPDC photons using Malus' law. The rotators and detectors had previously exhibited good performance in radiation tests [33,34], and simulation studies of the in-orbit radiation environment predict that the devices should perform beyond the spacecraft useful life [33]. This will be checked by periodic observation of the orbiting source and comparison with a ground-based copy.…”

Section: A Small Photon Pair Sourcementioning

confidence: 99%

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Generation and Analysis of Correlated Pairs of Photons aboard a Nanosatellite

et al. 2016

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Satellites carrying sources of entangled photons could establish a global quantum network, enabling private encryption keys between any two points on Earth. Despite numerous proposals, demonstration of space-based quantum systems has been limited due to the cost of traditional satellites. We are using very small spacecraft to accelerate progress. We report the in-orbit operation of a photon pair source aboard a 1.65 kg nanosatellite and demonstrate pair generation and polarization correlation under space conditions. The in-orbit photon correlations exhibit a contrast of 97 ± 2%, matching ground-based tests. This pathfinding mission overcomes the challenge of demonstrating in-orbit performance for the components of future entangled photon experiments. Ongoing operation establishes the in-orbit lifetime of these critical components. More generally, this demonstrates the ability for nanosatellites to enable faster progress in space-based research.Progress in quantum computers and their threat to public key cryptography is driving new forms of encryption [1]. One promising alternative is quantum key distribution (QKD) which provides provable security underpinned by quantum physics [2]. In particular, QKD can be achieved using pairs of photons that possess fundamental correlations known as quantum entanglement [3]. Practically, entanglement-based QKD enables a reduction in the number of trusted components [4]. A global quantum network for distributing entangled photon pairs will enable strong encryption keys to be shared between any two points on Earth.Entanglement-based QKD is a mature technology [5][6][7] compared with other entanglement-assisted applications. However, it shares a common range limit with more conventional prepare-send-measure QKD schemes [8]. Metropolitan scale QKD networks are possible using optical fiber or free-space links, but fiber losses and ground-level atmospheric turbulence preclude extending these networks to a global scale. Quantum repeater technology that can overcome these losses is still in the starting stages of being researched [9].Scalable global entanglement distribution can be achieved using a constellation of satellites equipped with spaceto-ground optical links [10]. The technology behind these links are relatively well-documented (e.g. [11][12][13]). Most proposals [14] employ a downlink to minimize transmission loss [15]. A source of photon pairs is placed on board a satellite in Earth orbit that will then either act as a trusted relay between two ground nodes, or beam one photon to one ground station and its pair photon to a different ground station. An additional advantage of space-based entanglement systems is that they allow fundamental tests of the possible overlap between quantum and relativistic regimes for which operation in space is necessary [16].Despite many preliminary studies on space quantum systems [11,12,15,[17][18][19][20][21] there has been limited published work demonstrating relevant technology in space [12,21] due to the prohibitive cost of traditional sp...

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Section: In-orbit Operation and Performance Comparisonmentioning

confidence: 75%

Section: A Small Photon Pair Sourcementioning

confidence: 99%

Generation and Analysis of Correlated Pairs of Photons aboard a Nanosatellite

et al. 2016

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“…In addition, thermal annealing also partially reduced the radiation-induced DCR [24,52]. We annealed radiated samples #2 and #3 in an oven at 50°C and 80°C for 15 h and 265 h, respectively.…”

Section: Driving Electronics and Testsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spaceborne, low-noise, single-photon detection for satellite-based quantum communications

Yang

Ren

et al. 2019

Opt. Express

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Single-photon detectors (SPDs) play important roles in highly sensitive detection applications, such as fluorescence spectroscopy, remote sensing and ranging, deep space optical communications, elementary particle detection, and quantum communications. However, the adverse conditions in space, such as the increased radiation flux and thermal vacuum, severely limit their noise performances, reliability, and lifetime. Herein, we present the first example of spaceborne, low-noise, high reliability SPDs, based on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) silicon avalanche photodiodes (APD). Based on the high noise-radiation sensitivity of silicon APD, we have developed special shielding structures, multistage cooling technologies, and configurable driver electronics that significantly improved the COTS APD reliability and mitigated the SPD noise-radiation sensitivity. This led to a reduction of the expected in-orbit radiation-induced dark count rate (DCR) from ~219 counts per second (cps) per day to ~0.76 cps/day. During a continuous period of continuous operations in orbit which spanned of 1029 days, the SPD DCR was maintained below 1000 cps, i.e., the actual in-orbit radiation-induced DCR increment rate was ~0.54 cps/day, i.e., two orders of magnitude lower than those evoked by previous technologies, while its photon detection efficiency was > 45%. Our spaceborne, low-noise SPDs established a feasible satellite-based up-link quantum communication that was validated on the quantum experiment science satellite platform. Moreover, our SPDs open new windows of opportunities for space research and applications in deep-space optical communications, single-photon laser ranging, as well as for testing the fundamental principles of physics in space.

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“…Silicon APDs are good candidates for detectors in the ISS segment, because they have good photon detection characteristics around 830nm, are well understood, widely used in quantum optics, and do not require deep cryogenic cooling [45]. However, proton radiation present in LEO damages the APDs and drastically increases their dark count rate over time [46][47][48][49][50]. Here we simulate the radiation environment inside the ISS to study the feasibility of using Si APDs.…”

Section: Appendix Feasibility Of Using Si Apds As Single-photon Detementioning

confidence: 99%

Space QUEST mission proposal: experimentally testing decoherence due to gravity

Joshi¹,

Pienaar²,

Ralph³

et al. 2018

New J. Phys.

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Models of quantum systems on curved space-times lack sufficient experimental verification. Some speculative theories suggest that quantum correlations, such as entanglement, may exhibit different behavior to purely classical correlations in curved space. By measuring this effect or lack thereof, we can test the hypotheses behind several such models. For instance, as predicted by Ralph et al [5] and Ralph and Pienaar [1], a bipartite entangled system could decohere if each particle traversed through a different gravitational field gradient. We propose to study this effect in a ground to space uplink scenario. We extend the above theoretical predictions of Ralph and coworkers and discuss the scientific consequences of detecting/failing to detect the predicted gravitational decoherence. We present a detailed mission design of the European Space Agency's Space QUEST (Space-Quantum Entanglement Space Test) mission, and study the feasibility of the mission scheme.

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Silicon avalanche photodiode operation and lifetime analysis for small satellites

Cited by 46 publications

References 20 publications

Generation and Analysis of Correlated Pairs of Photons aboard a Nanosatellite

Generation and Analysis of Correlated Pairs of Photons aboard a Nanosatellite

Spaceborne, low-noise, single-photon detection for satellite-based quantum communications

Space QUEST mission proposal: experimentally testing decoherence due to gravity

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