Afterpulse-like phenomenon of superconducting single photon detector in high speed quantum key distribution system

M Fujiwara; A Tanaka; S Takahashi; K Yoshino; Y Nambu; A Tajima; S Miki; T Yamashita; Z Wang; A Tomita; M Sasaki

doi:10.1364/OE.19.019562

Afterpulse-like phenomenon of superconducting single photon detector in high speed quantum key distribution system

Opt Express. 2011 Sep 26;19(20):19562-71. doi: 10.1364/OE.19.019562.

Authors

M Fujiwara¹, A Tanaka, S Takahashi, K Yoshino, Y Nambu, A Tajima, S Miki, T Yamashita, Z Wang, A Tomita, M Sasaki

Affiliation

¹ Quantum ICT Laboratory, National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, 4-2-1 Nukuikitamachi, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8795, Japan.

PMID: 21996897
DOI: 10.1364/OE.19.019562

Abstract

We discuss our estimates of the performance of a superconducting single photon detector (SSPD) in a high speed quantum key distribution (QKD) system. We find that at high repetition operation reflections from the readout circuit at room temperature causes an afterpulse-like phenomenon, and drastically increases the quantum bit error rate (QBER). Such effects are not seen during low frequency operation. By using an amplifier with a small reflection coefficient S11, we succeed in reducing the afterpulse-like phenomenon and increasing a secure key rate.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Amplifiers, Electronic*
Computer Simulation
Equipment Design
Fiber Optic Technology*
Photons*
Quantum Theory*
Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / instrumentation*
Telecommunications / instrumentation*