Theory of Fundamental Limits to Photon Detection and Design of Novel Detectors
Abstract
LSUÕs goal is to develop a model of photon detection that is fully second quantized in both the electromagnetic field and the degrees of freedom of the detector. Current theories of photon detection treat the field classically and the detector itself in a statistical fashion and such theories cannot yield the fundamental limits to photon detection imposed by the laws of quantum mechanics. LSUÕs fully second-quantized treatment will be revolutionary in that it will allow for a unified theoretical model of disparate photon detection technologies under a single design framework, allowing for different approaches to photon detection to be compared and contrasted, and also allowing the development of new paradigms for photon detection that are consistent with the fundamental limits. Once this fully quantum model is in place, and the fundamental limits identified, LSU then will lay out an optimization landscape that will place constraints on the photon detection tradespace in terms of frequency, jitter, temperature, efficiency, etc. The goal then is that the designer of novel photon detectors can use the LSU landscape to optimize certain metrics in the tradespace at the cost of others in a way that is consistent with the fundamental limits. In this way the LSU program will allow for a new paradigm for designing photon detectors. Nothing like this currently exists. The deliverables will consist of reports to DARPA every six months, publications in peer reviewed journals, and conference presentations. The proposal is theoretical in nature but if successful LSU will develop and commercialize a single-photon numerical design tool that can be used to optimize existing photon detectors and design new ones. The design tool can be continuously improved and expanded to cover detector designs using a wide variety of hardware and for many years.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Oct 06, 2018
- Source ID
- W911NF1710258
Entities
People
- Jonathan Dowling
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
- Louisiana State University