Technical aspects for counting and timing photons with a digital oscilloscope.

Photon counting and timing are generic tasks in many photonics laboratories. However, the cost of a commercial photon counter system can be a limiting factor to establish a new laboratory. Homemade photon counters can present a cost-saving solution, but they can also present a demanding side project not always part of the main research. Modern digital oscilloscopes are available in most universities and can provide a simple solution to measure photon statistics. Here, we describe the technicalities and limitations for counting and timing photons using a digital oscilloscope.