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Shcherbatenko, M., Lobanov, Y., Semenov, A., Kovalyuk, V., Korneev, A., Ozhegov, R., et al. (2017). Coherent detection of weak signals with superconducting nanowire single photon detector at the telecommunication wavelength. In I. Prochazka, R. Sobolewski, & R. B. James (Eds.), Proc. SPIE (Vol. 10229, 0G (1 to 12)). Spie.
Abstract: Achievement of the ultimate sensitivity along with a high spectral resolution is one of the frequently addressed problems, as the complication of the applied and fundamental scientific tasks being explored is growing up gradually. In our work, we have investigated performance of a superconducting nanowire photon-counting detector operating in the coherent mode for detection of weak signals at the telecommunication wavelength. Quantum-noise limited sensitivity of the detector was ensured by the nature of the photon-counting detection and restricted by the quantum efficiency of the detector only. Spectral resolution given by the heterodyne technique and was defined by the linewidth and stability of the Local Oscillator (LO). Response bandwidth was found to coincide with the detector’s pulse width, which, in turn, could be controlled by the nanowire length. In addition, the system noise bandwidth was shown to be governed by the electronics/lab equipment, and the detector noise bandwidth is predicted to depend on its jitter. As have been demonstrated, a very small amount of the LO power (of the order of a few picowatts down to hundreds of femtowatts) was required for sufficient detection of the test signal, and eventual optimization could lead to further reduction of the LO power required, which would perfectly suit for the foreseen development of receiver matrices and the need for detection of ultra-low signals at a level of less-than-one-photon per second.
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Schroeder, E., Mauskopf, P., Pilyavsky, G., Sinclair, A., Smith, N., Bryan, S., et al. (2016). On the measurement of intensity correlations from laboratory and astronomical sources with SPADs and SNSPDs. In F. Malbet, M. J. Creech-Eakman, & P. G. Tuthill (Eds.), Proc. SPIE (Vol. 9907, 99070P (1 to 13)). SPIE.
Abstract: We describe the performance of detector modules containing silicon single photon avalanche photodiodes (SPADs) and superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs) to be used for intensity interferometry. The SPADs are mounted in fiber-coupled and free-space coupled packages. The SNSPDs are mounted in a small liquid helium cryostat coupled to single mode fiber optic cables which pass through a hermetic feed-through. The detectors are read out with microwave amplifiers and FPGA-based coincidence electronics. We present progress on measurements of intensity correlations from incoherent sources including gas-discharge lamps and stars with these detectors. From the measured laboratory performance of the correlation system, we estimate the sensitivity to intensity correlations from stars using commercial telescopes and larger existing research telescopes.
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Rath, P., Vetter, A., Kovalyuk, V., Ferrari, S., Kahl, O., Nebel, C., et al. (2016). Travelling-wave single-photon detectors integrated with diamond photonic circuits: operation at visible and telecom wavelengths with a timing jitter down to 23 ps. In J. - E. Broquin, & G. N. Conti (Eds.), Integrated Optics: Devices, Mat. Technol. XX (Vol. 9750, pp. 135–142). Spie.
Abstract: We report on the design, fabrication and measurement of travelling-wave superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) integrated with polycrystalline diamond photonic circuits. We analyze their performance both in the near-infrared wavelength regime around 1600 nm and at 765 nm. Near-IR detection is important for compatibility with the telecommunication infrastructure, while operation in the visible wavelength range is relevant for compatibility with the emission line of silicon vacancy centers in diamond which can be used as efficient single-photon sources. Our detectors feature high critical currents (up to 31 μA) and high performance in terms of efficiency (up to 74% at 765 nm), noise-equivalent power (down to 4.4×10-19 W/Hz1/2 at 765 nm) and timing jitter (down to 23 ps).
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Ozhegov, R., Elezov, M., Kurochkin, Y., Kurochkin, V., Divochiy, A., Kovalyuk, V., et al. (2014). Quantum key distribution over 300. In A. A. Orlikovsky (Ed.), Proc. SPIE (Vol. 9440, 1F (1 to 9)). SPIE.
Abstract: We discuss the possibility of polarization state reconstruction and measurement over 302 km by Superconducting Single- Photon Detectors (SSPDs). Because of the excellent characteristics and the possibility to be effectively coupled to singlemode optical fiber many applications of the SSPD have already been reported. The most impressive one is the quantum key distribution (QKD) over 250 km distance. This demonstration shows further possibilities for the improvement of the characteristics of quantum-cryptographic systems such as increasing the bit rate and the quantum channel length, and decreasing the quantum bit error rate (QBER). This improvement is possible because SSPDs have the best characteristics in comparison with other single-photon detectors. We have demonstrated the possibility of polarization state reconstruction and measurement over 302.5 km with superconducting single-photon detectors. The advantage of an autocompensating optical scheme, also known as “plugandplay” for quantum key distribution, is high stability in the presence of distortions along the line. To increase the distance of quantum key distribution with this optical scheme we implement the superconducting single photon detectors (SSPD). At the 5 MHz pulse repetition frequency and the average photon number equal to 0.4 we measured a 33 bit/s quantum key generation for a 101.7 km single mode ber quantum channel. The extremely low SSPD dark count rate allowed us to keep QBER at 1.6% level.
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Sidorova, M. V., Divochiy, A. V., Vakhtomin, Y. B., & Smirnov, K. V. (2015). Ultrafast superconducting single-photon detector with a reduced active area coupled to a tapered lensed single-mode fiber. J. Nanophoton., 9(1), 093051.
Abstract: This paper presents an ultrafast niobium nitride (NbN) superconducting single-photon detector (SSPD) with an active area of 3×3 μm2 that offers better timing performance metrics than the previous SSPD with an active area of 7×7 μm2. The improved SSPD demonstrates a record timing jitter (<25 ps), an ultrashort recovery time (<2 ns), an extremely low dark count rate, and a high detection efficiency in a wide spectral range from visible part to near infrared. The record parameters were obtained due to the development of a new technique providing effective optical coupling between a detector with a reduced active area and a standard single-mode telecommunication fiber. The advantages of the new approach are experimentally confirmed by taking electro-optical measurements.
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