High-speed analog photon counter and method

Abstract

A high speed analog photon counter and method is provided. In one aspect, the method includes delivering an electric charge to a circuit of the high speed analog photon counter through a current source of the circuit. The method also includes accumulating the electric charge in a capacitor of the circuit electrically coupled to the current source. The method further includes comparing the electric charge accumulated in the capacitor of the circuit with a reference voltage through a comparator of the circuit electrically coupled to an output of the capacitor. The output of the capacitor of the circuit is coupled to an input of the comparator of the circuit, and the reference voltage is coupled to another input of the comparator of the circuit. The method furthermore includes resetting the capacitor of the circuit when the electric charge accumulated in the capacitor of the circuit matches the reference voltage.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.