Modelling detector response for accurate calibration of single-photon detectors under pulsed single-photon illumination

Abstract We present an empirical model describing the detection response of single-photon detectors under pulsed illumination from a single-photon source based on a quantum dot. The model does not rely on assumptions about the recovery dynamics, but incorporates measured recovery functions to predict the effective detection efficiency. This model was successfully validated through a calibration of a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector at photon fluxes of up to 19 million photons per second at a wavelength of 929 nm. Calibrations of three silicon single-photon avalanche detectors with different dead times revealed deviations from the model predictions, suggesting an unaccounted influence of the different electronic design on the detector performance. Owing to its flexibility, the proposed model enables accurate estimation of photon fluxes from single-photon emitters and provides a practical tool for evaluating loss budgets of each component and therefore of entire quantum optical systems, thereby improving the overall system performance.