Related papers: Controlling an actively-quenched single photon det…
Silicon avalanche photodiodes are the most sensitive photodetectors in the visible to near infrared region. However, when they are used for single photon detection in a Geiger mode, they are known to emit light on the controlled breakdown…
Attacks that control single-photon detectors in quantum key distribution using tailored bright illumination are capable of eavesdropping the secret key. Here we report an automated testbench that checks the detector's vulnerabilities…
We explore bright-light control of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) in the shunted configuration (a practical measure to avoid latching). In an experiment, we simulate an illumination pattern the SNSPD would receive…
In the recent decade, it has been discovered that QKD systems are extremely vulnerable to side-channel attacks. In particular, by exploiting the internal working knowledge of practical detectors, it is possible to bring them to an operating…
We developed a countermeasure against blinding attacks on low-noise detectors with a background noise cancellation scheme in quantum key distribution (QKD) systems. Background noise cancellation includes self-differencing and balanced…
We experimentally demonstrate that a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector is deterministically controllable by bright illumination. We found that bright light can temporarily make a large fraction of the nanowire length…
We have integrated a commercial avalanche photodiode (APD) and the circuitry needed to operate it as a single-photon detector (SPD) onto a single PC-board. At temperatures accessible with Peltier coolers (~200-240K), the PCB-SPD achieves…
Silicon single-photon detectors (SPDs) are key devices for detecting single photons in the visible wavelength range. Photon detection efficiency (PDE) is one of the most important parameters of silicon SPDs, and increasing PDE is highly…
A particularly successful detector blinding attack has been recently demonstrated on various quantum key distribution (QKD) systems, performing for the first time an undetectable and complete recovery of the key. In this paper two original…
We compare the performance of various quantum key distribution (QKD) systems using a novel single-photon detector, which combines frequency up-conversion in a periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) waveguide and a silicon avalanche…
Sensitive avalanche photodetectors (APDs) that operate within the ultraviolet spectrum are critically required for applications in detecting fire and deep-space exploration. However, the development of such devices faces significant…
Single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) are the most commercially diffused solution for single-photon counting in quantum key distribution (QKD) applications. However, the secondary photon emission, arising from the avalanche of charge…
Single-photon detectors (SPDs) are the most sensitive instruments for light detection. In the near-infrared range, SPDs based on III-V compound semiconductor avalanche photodiodes have been extensively used during the past two decades for…
A single-photon avalanche detector (SPAD) for high-speed quantum-key generation has successfully been developed. It has the highest photon detection repetition frequency and the lowest dark count rate in the world, as a board-mountable…
Detector control attacks on quantum key distribution systems exploit the linear mode of avalanche photodiode in single photon detectors. So far, the protocols under consideration have been the BB84 protocol and its derivatives. Here we…
Single-photon detectors, like Avalanche Photo Diodes (APDs), have a great importance in many fields like quantum key distribution, laser ranging, florescence microscopy, etc. Afterpulsing is a typical non ideal behavior of APDs, operated in…
We propose and experimentally demonstrate a scheme to render the detection apparatus of a Quantum Key Distribution system immune to the main classes of hacking attacks in which the eavesdropper explores the back-door opened by the…
Detector blinding attacks have been proposed in the last few years, and they could potentially threaten the security of QKD systems. Even though no complete QKD system has been hacked yet, it is nevertheless important to consider…
In this paper we present a novel construction of an active quenching circuit intended for single photon detection. For purpose of evaluation, we have combined this circuit with a standard avalanche photodiode C30902S to form a single photon…
Modern single-photon detectors based on avalanche photodiodes offer increasingly higher triggering speeds, thus fostering their use in several fields, prominently in the recent area of Quantum Key Distribution. To reduce the probability of…