Title: NIST Develops Ultra-Low Error Photon Detection System for Telecom
NIST scientists have created an experimental photon detection system for telecommunications that achieves error rates far below conventional designs. The system, developed by NIST’s Quantum Optics Group, combines two key innovations: adaptive measurement and photon-number-resolving detectors.
Adaptive measurement works by successively sampling the incoming signal and comparing it to an adjustable reference beam that is optimized with each sample. Photon-number-resolving detectors allow for more accurate noise reduction and state discrimination.
The system demonstrates a 25 times lower error probability for pulses containing about 20 photons compared to the best conventional receivers. Performance is expected to improve as photon numbers increase. In practical applications, this could lead to lower energy consumption, longer network links without signal boosters, and higher-capacity links.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2014/12/low-error-rate-detector-system-telecommunications
Keywords: error, photon, detector, receiver
