Single-photon counting system and counting method

Abstract

The invention discloses a single-photon counting system and a counting method. The system comprises a flip-latch, a triggering circuit, a clock generating circuit, a counting unit and a memory, wherein the counting unit comprises two counters, the ping-pong operation is adopted for carrying out the single-photon counting, the dead time is short, and the counting efficiency is high. The system can be realized through an FPGA field programmable gate array, and the hardware realization of the system has better flexibility and performance. In addition, the system can be connected with an external system through an embedded type chip and a USB bus, high-speed data transmission can be realized, and the invention has better real-time performance.

Description

technical field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to the field of weak light detection and counting, and specifically relates to a single photon counting system and counting method for weak light detection. Background technique

[0002] In the field of weak light detection, single-photon detection technology is widely used in lidar, bioluminescence, quantum secure communication, high-resolution spectral measurement, non-destructive material analysis, high-speed phenomenon detection, precision analysis, radiation detection, high-energy physics, astronomical photometry , optical time domain reflectometry and other fields have a wide range of applications. Generally, the weak light detection and counting system mainly includes single photon detection system, single photon counting system and computer system.

[0003] At present, single-photon counting systems are mainly realized by dedicated chips, and some are realized by using DSP or single-chip microcomputers a...

Examples

no. 1 example

[0028] The first embodiment is a laser radar visibility meter applied to single-photon signals of one channel, which counts laser echoes and calculates visibility through the change trend of counting. The instrument needs to count single-photon signals of one channel, and the counting frequency requires The frequency is 10MHz, the timing interval is 100ns, the number of storage points is 1K, and the trigger frequency is 3KHz.

[0029] refer to figure 1 , figure 1 Shows the structural block diagram of the connection between the single photon counting system and the external system in the first embodiment of the present invention, in the embodiment of the present invention, the single photon counting system 100 is connected with the embedded system 200 through the board-level bus, and connected with the external system through the USB System connection, the external system in the embodiment of the present invention is the computer 300, this connection mode, its transmission spe...

no. 2 example

[0053] The second embodiment is an atmospheric environment monitoring lidar applied to two-channel single-photon signals, and the lidar measures polluted gases and aerosols in the atmosphere through a differential absorption method. The lidar requires single-photon counting for 2 channels, the counting frequency is required to be 20MHz, the timing interval is adjustable at 100ns / 200ns, the number of storage points is required to be 4K, and the trigger frequency is 5kHz.

[0054] refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 It shows the structural block diagram of the connection between the single photon counting system and the external system of the second embodiment of the present invention. Like the first embodiment, the single photon counting system 100 of the second embodiment is connected with the embedded system 200 through the board-level bus, And connect with external system via USB. Each functional module of the counting logic circuit of the second embodiment can be realized by F...

no. 3 example

[0056] The third embodiment is a Doppler wind lidar applied to sixteen-channel single-photon signals, and the lidar measures wind speed and wind field in the atmosphere through the Doppler effect. The specific method is as follows: the laser echo signal generates a fringe image through the Fizeau interferometer. When the wind speed changes, the Doppler effect will cause the fringe image to shift, and the wind speed can be inverted according to the shift. In the laser radar system, the fringe image is recorded by an array composed of 16 photomultiplier tubes, so the laser radar requires single photon counting for 16 channels, the counting frequency is required to be 50MHz, and the timing interval is adjustable at 100ns / 500ns / 1000ns , the storage point requirement is 1K, and the trigger frequency is 5kHz.

[0057] refer to Figure 6 , Figure 6 It shows a structural block diagram of the connection between the single photon counting system and the external system of the third e...

technical field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to the field of weak light detection and counting, and specifically relates to a single photon counting system and counting method for weak light detection. Background technique

[0002] In the field of weak light detection, single-photon detection technology is widely used in lidar, bioluminescence, quantum secure communication, high-resolution spectral measurement, non-destructive material analysis, high-speed phenomenon detection, precision analysis, radiation detection, high-energy physics, astronomical photometry , optical time domain reflectometry and other fields have a wide range of applications. Generally, the weak light detection and counting system mainly includes single photon detection system, single photon counting system and computer system.

[0003] At present, single-photon counting systems are mainly realized by dedicated chips, and some are realized by using DSP or single-chip microcomputers a...

Examples

no. 1 example

[0028] The first embodiment is a laser radar visibility meter applied to single-photon signals of one channel, which counts laser echoes and calculates visibility through the change trend of counting. The instrument needs to count single-photon signals of one channel, and the counting frequency requires The frequency is 10MHz, the timing interval is 100ns, the number of storage points is 1K, and the trigger frequency is 3KHz.

[0029] refer to figure 1 , figure 1 Shows the structural block diagram of the connection between the single photon counting system and the external system in the first embodiment of the present invention, in the embodiment of the present invention, the single photon counting system 100 is connected with the embedded system 200 through the board-level bus, and connected with the external system through the USB System connection, the external system in the embodiment of the present invention is the computer 300, this connection mode, its transmission spe...

no. 2 example

[0053] The second embodiment is an atmospheric environment monitoring lidar applied to two-channel single-photon signals, and the lidar measures polluted gases and aerosols in the atmosphere through a differential absorption method. The lidar requires single-photon counting for 2 channels, the counting frequency is required to be 20MHz, the timing interval is adjustable at 100ns / 200ns, the number of storage points is required to be 4K, and the trigger frequency is 5kHz.

[0054] refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 It shows the structural block diagram of the connection between the single photon counting system and the external system of the second embodiment of the present invention. Like the first embodiment, the single photon counting system 100 of the second embodiment is connected with the embedded system 200 through the board-level bus, And connect with external system via USB. Each functional module of the counting logic circuit of the second embodiment can be realized by F...

no. 3 example

[0056] The third embodiment is a Doppler wind lidar applied to sixteen-channel single-photon signals, and the lidar measures wind speed and wind field in the atmosphere through the Doppler effect. The specific method is as follows: the laser echo signal generates a fringe image through the Fizeau interferometer. When the wind speed changes, the Doppler effect will cause the fringe image to shift, and the wind speed can be inverted according to the shift. In the laser radar system, the fringe image is recorded by an array composed of 16 photomultiplier tubes, so the laser radar requires single photon counting for 16 channels, the counting frequency is required to be 50MHz, and the timing interval is adjustable at 100ns / 500ns / 1000ns , the storage point requirement is 1K, and the trigger frequency is 5kHz.

[0057] refer to Figure 6 , Figure 6 It shows a structural block diagram of the connection between the single photon counting system and the external system of the third e...

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