quTAG HR – High Resolution Variants

Datasheet

The quTAG HR is designed for high resolution measurements with up to 16 channels. These time taggers of the quTAG family are available with a wide range of timing resolution and channel numbers. Enhanced timing jitter values can be achieved by interconnecting input channels via software.

The table below shows all quTAG HR variants with number of input channels and varying timing RMS jitter by interconnectiong channels in picoseconds.

 

quTAG HR Features

Available Features
+ Clock Input
The quTAG can be synchronized to an external clock to allow more precise long-term accuracy.
+ Synchronization of devices
This extension allows to synchronize up to 10 quTAGs. Up to 160 equal stop channels of HR version are offered – all sharing the same clock.
+ Start-channel as input
The start channel can be converted to another stop channel, allowing one more equal input channel.
+ Virtual channels & filters
The device allows to enable virtual channels or userdefined filters. The filtering is based on hardware and happens inside the device to save USB bandwidth.
+ Marker inputs – optional
The device features marker inputs, inserting timestamps in the timeline. Marker inputs are needed e.g. to read a pixel or line clock in a FLIM setup.
+ Divider for stop channels – optional
This option allows you to enable the divider on all stop channels. This allows higher frequency periodic signals to be recorded.
+ Output channels – optional
The two programmable outputs enable conditional measurements, state preparation, gating of detectors, control of shutters and more to synchronize events.

quTAG MC – Multi Channel Variants

Datasheet

The quTAG MC is designed for a high number of simultaneous measurements with up to 32 channels in one device and the ability of synchronizing multiple devices.

These time taggers of the quTAG family are available with a wide range of channel numbers and timing resolution. Enhanced timing jitter values can be achieved by interconnecting input channels via software.

The table below shows all quTAG MC variants with number of input channels and varying timing RMS jitter by interconnectiong channels in picoseconds.

quTAG MC Features

Available Features
+ Clock Input
The quTAG can be synchronized to an external clock to allow more precise long-term accuracy.
+ Synchronization of devices
This extension allows to synchronize up to 10 quTAGs. Up to 320 equal stop channels of MC version are offered – all sharing the same clock.
+ Start-channel as input
The start channel can be converted to another stop channel, allowing one more equal input channel. Not available for 32 channel variants.
+ Virtual channels & filters
The device allows to enable virtual channels or userdefined filters. The filtering is based on hardware and happens inside the device to save USB bandwidth.
+ Marker inputs – optional
The device features marker inputs, inserting timestamps in the timeline. Marker inputs are needed e.g. to read a pixel or line clock in a FLIM setup.
+ Output channels – optional
The two programmable outputs enable conditional measurements, state preparation, gating of detectors, control of shutters and more to synchronize events.

Software features for quTAG HR & MC

Histograms	Create start-stop & start-multistop histograms
Lifetime	The software enables analyzing lifetime measurements on the fly. It calculates histograms and fits exponential decreases.
Correlations	This software extension is intended for calculating the correlation function, as needed for example in Hanbury Brown-Twiss experiments or FCS.
Virtual channels & filters	The device allows to enable virtual channels or user-defined filters. The filtering is based on hardware and happens inside the device to save USB bandwidth.
GUI	Web-application on the PC or via WIFI from quTAG, Daisy – generic Data Analysis and Imaging System
User interfaces	command line & libraries in C, Python, Matlab, LabVIEW

Jitter Measurement

In order to measure the jitter, we generate an electrical pulse with steep edges. This pulse gets split into two by a power splitter and sent into two different inputs of the quTAG (i.e. start and stop-X or stop-X and stop-Y).

Then we use the quTAG software to generate a startstop-histogram. We fit a Gaussian function to this histogram and determine RMS and FWHM. The single channel jitter corresponds to σ / √2 from this two-channel measurement, assuming equal Gaussian contributions from both signals. The FWHM can be obtained by the standard deviation with the relation FWHM = 2 √2 ln 2 σ ≈ 2.35 σ.

Publications

• Performance Optimization and Real-Time Security Monitoring for Single-Photon Quantum Key Distribution
  T. Kupko et al., arXiv preprint (2019)
• Hong-Ou-Mandel interference between independent III-V on silicon waveguide integrated lasers
  C. Agnesi, et al., arXiv preprint (2019)
• Sub-ns timing accuracy for satellite quantum communications
  C. Agnesi et al., arXiv preprint (2019)
• Experimental demonstration of quantum advantage for one-waycommunication complexity
  N. Kumar et al., arXiv preprint (2018)
• A photonic quantum walk with a four-dimensional Coin
  L. Lorz et al., arXiv preprint (2018)
• Towards quantum communication from global navigation satellite system
  L. Calderaro et al., IOP Publishing (2018)

General Applications

We used the quTAG for two experiments together with the superconducting nanowire single photon detector (SNSPD) from our long-time collaborators at Single Quantum. The results proved the efficiency and speed that we expected as we engineered the quTAG.

Laser trigger as Start, Single Quantum SNSPD as Stop

We measured a time difference histogram between the trigger pulse from the laser as start and the SQ detector signal as stop.
This is basically the setup for a Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIM) measurement..

Results:
Whole system response function (blue, measured with quTAG): Timing jitter 17.8 ps RMS, 35.9 ps FWHM
For comparison: Detector response function (red, measured with fast oscilloscope): Timing jitter 14.5 ps RMS, 26.1 ps FWHM.

 

One SQ Detector as Start, another one as Stop

Here, we measured the time difference histogram between one of the two SQ SNSPDs as Start and the other one as Stop pulse.

Results:
Timing jitter of 2 SQ SNSPDs measured with the quTAG (blue): 21.6 ps RMS, 45.6 ps FWHM.

Datasheets

quTAG datasheet	02/2019	0.3 MB	pdf
quTAG HR datasheet	03/2020	0.4 MB	pdf
quTAG MC datasheet	03/2020	0.4 MB	pdf

Manuals

quTAG brochure	03/2019	2.4 MB	pdf
quTAG manual V1.4.0	05/2019	0.9 MB	pdf
quTAG software manual V1.5.0	10/2019	0.3 MB	pdf

Software

quTAG software V1.5.2*	12/2019	25.1 MB	exe
quTAG software V1.5.2*	12/2019	20.9 MB	zip
64bit library win V1.5.2*	12/2019	0.4 MB	zip
64bit library linux V1.5.2*	12/2019	7.7 MB	tgz
FTDI driver V1.2		10.4 MB	exe
Python examples	06/2020	0.4 MB	zip

* Note! This software is compatible only with serial number T 01 0012 and newer! Please contact us if you own an older device!