Randomization of the start pulse in time‐of‐arrival correlators

Correlators based on the measurement of the time of arrival of photoelectron pulses are subject to a start‐pulse bias related to the method according to which the pulse that triggers the count sequence is selected. For the bias to be negligible, the count rate must be low or the coherence time of the fluctuating signal must be short. In this work we point out a new start‐pulse selection method that considerably broadens the useful range of time‐of‐arrival correlators. Results of tests conducted on laser light scattered by a ground‐glass disk are reported.