DIY Single Photon Generator

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Photons usually come in packs. Single Photons are cool. Where to get them?

Seeing low light (scotopic vision):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotopic_vision


Of cones and rods:
http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/Quantum/see_a_photon.html

Neuroscience: Humans can detect single photons:
http://www.natureasia.com/en/research/highlight/10786
Experiment with toads' rods placed into electrodes:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1281447/



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotopic_vision

Example:
1 photon (540nm) per second per solid angle = 3,6 · 10−19 Candela (cd)
Same Condition: 10^12 photons = Dial of a watch with glow in the dark color(ucd)
10^17 photons = Fire Fly / LED (10 mcd / 50 mcd)
10^19 photons = candle (1cd)

Luminometer:
Got a Lumat, LB 9501 Single Tube Luminometer from berthold.com
Despite the thing dating back to 1994 it is fully working and can detect down to below 1000 photons per second.
Here you find File:Berthold Lumat LB9501 manual.pdf with lot's on interesting information on photon counting.
The "Relative Light Unit" (RLU) represents 1/10 of the photons detected by the photon multiplier. With the tube having a Quantum-Efficiency of typ 24% at 420nm. Multiplied by a RLU tube correction factor, in our case 1.040. So we need to multiply the RLU reading by about 43 to get the number of photons. The luminometer is sensitive in the range of 390nm - 620nm.




Literature:
https://www.amazon.com/Single-photon-Devices-Applications-Charles-Santori/dp/352740807X
https://www.lap-publishing.com/catalog/details//store/gb/book/978-3-659-50846-2/towards-single-photon-sources
http://www.photonicsolutions.co.uk/company.php?comp=5765
http://www.micro-photon-devices.com/Products/Photon-Counters/InGaAs-InP
Human Double Slit:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4729532/
Photons per power:
https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/174314/calculate-number-of-photons-of-a-light-source-given-the-lumen-and-the-color-spec

Papers:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168900214014041