A quantum imager for intensity correlated photons

Abstract

We report on a device capable of imaging second-order spatio-temporal correlations g(2)(x, τ) between photons. The imager is based on a monolithic array of single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) implemented in CMOS technology and a simple algorithm to treat multiphoton time-of-arrival distributions from different SPAD pairs. It is capable of 80 ps temporal resolution with fluxes as low as 10 photons s-1 at room temperature. An important application might be the local imaging of g(2) as a means of confirming the presence of true Bose-Einstein macroscopic coherence (BEC) of cavity exciton polaritons. © IOP Publishing Ltd and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft.