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Exploiting shot noise correlations in the photodetection of ultrashort optical pulse trains

Nature Photonics volume 7, pages 290–293 (2013)Cite this article

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Abstract

Photocurrent shot noise represents the fundamental quantum limit for amplitude, phase and timing measurements of optical signals. It is generally assumed that non-classical states of light must be employed to alter the standard, time-invariant shot noise detection limit. However, in the detection of periodic signals, correlations in the shot noise spectrum can impact the quantum limit of detection. Here, we show how these correlations can be exploited to improve shot noise-limited optical pulse timing measurements by several orders of magnitude. This has allowed us to realize a photodetected pulse train timing noise floor at an unprecedented 25 zs Hz−1/2 (corresponding phase noise of −179 dBc Hz−1 on a 10 GHz carrier), ∼5 dB below the level predicted by the accepted time-invariant shot noise behaviour. This new understanding of the shot noise of time-varying signals can be used to greatly improve photonic systems, affecting a wide range of communication1, navigation2 and precision measurement3 applications.

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Figure 1: Fluctuations and shot noise in the time domain.
Figure 2: Shot noise in the frequency domain.
Figure 3: Phase noise prediction and measurement of a photonically generated 10 GHz signal.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank P. Winzer, S. Papp, N. Newbury, E. Ivanov, R. Mhaskar, A. Ludlow and J. Bergquist for useful discussions and comments on this manuscript. This work was supported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and in part by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. It is a contribution of an agency of the US Government and is not subject to copyright in the USA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Standards and Technology, 325 Broadway, Boulder, 80305, Colorado, USA

    F. Quinlan, T. M. Fortier, H. Jiang, A. Hati, C. Nelson & S. A. Diddams

  2. Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, 22904, Virginia, USA

    Y. Fu & J. C. Campbell

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  1. F. Quinlan
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Contributions

F.Q., T.M.F., H.J. and S.A.D. developed the model. F.Q., T.M.F., A.H., C.N. and S.A.D. performed the measurements. Y.F. and J.C. designed, modelled and fabricated the photodetectors. F.Q., T.M.F. and S.A.D. analysed the data and prepared the manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to F. Quinlan or S. A. Diddams.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Quinlan, F., Fortier, T., Jiang, H. et al. Exploiting shot noise correlations in the photodetection of ultrashort optical pulse trains. Nature Photon 7, 290–293 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphoton.2013.33

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