Single photon MIR upconversion detector at room temperature with a PPLN ridge waveguide
International audience; In this paper we describe an upconversion detector in the mid infrared (around 3.5 μm). We take advantage of the PPLN ridge waveguide technology to achieve single photon detection at room temperature on a single spatial mode. With a pump power of 192 mW we obtain a detection efficiency of 0.4% for 22k dark count per second, which corresponds to a noise equivalent power of 3.0 fW · Hz−1/2 and an internal conversion efficiency of 85 %/W of pump.
Influence of the input-stage architecture on the in-laboratory test of a mid-infrared interferometer: application to the ALOHA up-conversion interferometer in the L band
ABSTRACT In the framework of the Astronomical Light Optical Hybrid Analysis (ALOHA) laboratory mid-infrared (MIR) up-conversion fibred interferometer in the L band, we report on the influence of the input-stage architecture. Using an amplitude division set-up in the visible or near-infrared is a straightforward choice in most cases. In the MIR context, the results are slightly different and we show that a wavefront division set-up is needed. These in-laboratory principle experiments allow us to measure a reliable 88 per cent instrumental contrast with high flux and to obtain fringes from faint sources at 3.5 μm with a spectral bandwith of 37 nm converted to 817 nm. An equivalent limiting L-…