Review of the ultrafast time resolution photopolarimeters based on SPADs

Abstract

AbstractWe review photopolarimeters that are based on the Single Photon Avalanche Diodes (SPADs) and were designed, built, developed, and extensively used for high time resolution studies of astrophysical sources. Examples of such detectors are OPTIMA, GASP, AquEYE, and IquEYE which can measure the time of arrival of single optical photons with an accuracy of down to 50 picoseconds. We describe the most exciting results obtained with the SPADs detectors starting from the best existing optical polarimetric measurements of the Crab pulsar, the discovery of the first optical magnetar and its quasi-periodic oscillations, as well as a verification of exoplanets around eclipsing cataclysmic variables. Additionally, we discuss possible applications of such detectors for asteroseismology.