| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize a method for detecting a faint light signal, with high accuracy. SOLUTION: In this light detection method, high wave surface selectivity of a heterodyne system is merged with a photon measurement method for measuring light on a photon level, by noticing that the behavior of light wave as photons is dominant in the range of faint light signals due to the particulate properties of light wave. The number of photons or the physical quantity correlating with the number of photons are measured of a heterodyne beat signal, obtained by causing signal light to interfere with reference light (1, 3). The intensity of the signal light is found by a calculation, based on its measurement value (4). The change with time of the faint light is measured with sufficient accuracy, without being limited by the Schottky noise of a photodetector or without lowering the time response of a measurement system. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI
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