Welcome to the latest edition of Single-Photon Systems News; brought to you by IDQ, the world leader in quantum photonics. 

In this  edition we profile a new single-photon OTDR application note that explores how to build a custom OTDR from benchtop instruments.

We also have a review of the 8th Single Photon Workshop, held last month in Boulder, Colorado.

In other news, the event schedule is hotting up after the summer break, with IDQ attending two key cryptographic events in the UK in September.

The 5th ETSI/IQC Workshop takes place in London from 13th September, followed by QCrypt in Cambridge on 18th-22nd September. We hope to see you there.

Best regards,

Michael Desert

Single-Photon OTDR Application Note

Optical fibers are at the forefront of several advanced technologies, such as fast communication networks, powerful lasers and accurate sensors.

As scientists and engineers push the limits of these technologies, accurate and innovative methods for fiber characterization are required. Single-photon detectors offer a unique advantage as they combine sensitivity with timing accuracy (<100ps), resulting in high tolerance to loss and high spatial resolution (1cm).

In this application note, we explore how to build a custom optical time-domain reflectometer from benchtop instruments. Adapting the OTDR to user-defined measurement, and chosing the right detector, can result in significant performance improvements over commercial OTDRs.

QCrypt 2017, 18th – 22nd September 2017

IDQ is proud to be a Gold Sponsor of QCrypt 2017. The Annual Conference is held in Cambridge (UK) for students and researchers working on all aspects of quantum cryptography.

IDQ will be running a feature session on Quantum-Enhanced Physical Layer Cryptography: A new paradigm for free-space key distribution. We will also be contributing to the interactive industry session with a demonstration of some of our latest products.

A Review of the 8th Single Photon Workshop

Held at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado (USA), SPW 2017 was the 8th installment in a series of international workshops on the application of single-photon generation and detection technologies.

In his review of the event, Rik van Gorsel (from IDQ’s Boston office) highlights reaction to the new ID900 Time Controller. Plus there was recognition for Emna Amri and her recent work on reducing jitter in InGaAs based SPADs.

ETSI IQC Quantum Safe Workshop 2017

We invite you to join our talks and panel sessions at the 5th ETSI/IQC Workshop, held at the Westminster Conference Centre in London between 13th -15th September 2017.

The Workshop is the ideal event for people who want to understand more about how we will all be impacted by the race to develop a quantum computer.  It starts with a special Executive Track on 13th September, followed by an in-depth technical track on 14th – 15th September 2017.