Single Photon Counting and Photonic Entanglement
Mantis³
| Mantis³ Specifications | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sensor |
Silicon, 300 μm |
||||
|
Sensitive area |
14.14 x 14.14 mm |
||||
|
Number of Pixels |
256 x 256 |
||||
|
Time resolution |
1.56 ns |
||||
|
Hits per Pixel |
1 Million Hits/s |
||||
|
Max. Read-out Speed |
15 - 80 Million Hits/s |
||||
|
Pixel Pitch |
55 μm x 55 µm |
||||
|
Energy Resolution |
1 keV |
||||
|
Readout |
Timepix3 |
||||
|
Pixel Operation Mode |
Counting, Time of Arrival (ToA), Time over Threshold (ToT), Time of Flight (TOF) |
||||
|
Pixel Deadtime |
0,475 µs |
||||
|
Connectivity |
10 Gigabit Optical Fiber and 1 Gigabit Ethernet |
||||
|
Weight |
2.2 Kg |
||||
|
Dimensions |
288 mm x 80 mm x 90 mm |
||||
|
Synchronization |
2 TDC channel |
||||
|
External Triggering |
Triggerbox with 1 - 4 BNC Channels |
||||
|
Software |
Accos (GUI) and Serval (API) |
||||
Which intensifier?
The image intensifier enables single photon counting. The intensifier is amplifing the signal.
An image intensifier is a vacuum tube having three key components;
1) a photocathode to detect light and convert it into photo-electrons
2) a microchannel plate to amplify the electron signal and
3) a phosphor screen to convert the amplified electron signal back into light.
The active area of the photocathode is about 18 mm. The image intensifier is equpped with a P47 scintillator (other scintillators are possible).
Specific range: 350-920 nm
Peak range: 520-800 nm
Quantum Efficiency: 22%
Specific range: 350-600 nm
Peak range: 400-500 nm
Quantum Efficiency: 30%
Specific range: 200-600 nm
Peak range: 240-400 nm
Quantum Efficiency: 32%
Quantum Efficiency
The quantum efficiency is defined as the ratio of the number of photoelectrons produced by photons impinging on the sensor, to the total number of the photons, and is usually given as a function of the wavelength.
In the manufacturing process the silicon sensor is coated with a ultrathin antireflective coating to increase the quantum efficiency. This is optimized for the emission of the P47 phosphorscreen.
The wavelength range is from 400 nm – 1000 nm. The quantum efficiency is higher than 90%.
Software and Automation
Accos - GUI
Serval - API
Accos is the standalone graphical user interface (GUI) for the detector control and the data acquisition. It is made to visualize and record the incoming data (counts, frames, pixel hits) in real time for direct feedback of the experimental set-up. External triggering and event timestamping can included easily. The data export is possible for .tiff, .pgm, .png and via network (jsonimage). The raw data are stored in the .tpx3 format and can be extracted to an open and accessible format.
For the automation of the experiment ASI offers an API called Serval. The detector can be controlled locally or remotely and is independent of the program language or operation system which is used. The communication with Serval is via a HTTP REST protocol over TCP/IP. The software can be easily integrated and is compatible with the most common language libaries like Python, LabView, Mathlab and other languages using TCP/IP.
