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Terai, H., Miki, S., Yamashita, T., Makise, K., & Wang, Z. (2010). Demonstration of single-flux-quantum readout operation for superconducting single-photon detectors. Appl. Phys. Lett., 97(11), 3.
Abstract: A readout circuit using superconducting single-flux-quantum (SFQ) circuits has been developed to realize an independently addressable array of superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPDs). We tested the SFQ readout circuits by connecting with SSPDs. The error rates of readout circuits were below 10–5 for input signal amplitude of greater than 18.2 μA. Detection efficiencies (DEs) for single-photon incidents were measured both with and without the connection of a readout circuit. The observed DEs traced almost the same curves regardless of the connection of the readout circuit, except that the SSPD is likely to latch by connecting the readout circuit.
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Kerman, A. J., Dauler, E. A., Keicher, W. E., Yang, J. K. W., Berggren, K. K., Gol’tsman, G., et al. (2006). Kinetic-inductance-limited reset time of superconducting nanowire photon counters. Appl. Phys. Lett., 88(11), 111116 (1 to 3).
Abstract: We investigate the recovery of superconducting NbN-nanowire photon counters after detection of an optical pulse at a wavelength of 1550nm, and present a model that quantitatively accounts for our observations. The reset time is found to be limited by the large kinetic inductance of these nanowires, which forces a tradeoff between counting rate and either detection efficiency or active area. Devices of usable size and high detection efficiency are found to have reset times orders of magnitude longer than their intrinsic photoresponse time.
The authors acknowledge D. Oates and W. Oliver (MIT Lincoln Laboratory), S.W. Nam, A. Miller, and R. Hadfield (NIST) and R. Sobolewski, A. Pearlman, and A. Verevkin (University of Rochester) for helpful discussions and technical assistance. This work made use of MIT’s shared scanning-electron-beam-lithography facility in the Research Laboratory of Electronics. This work is sponsored by the United States Air Force under Air Force Contract No. FA8721-05-C-0002. Opinions, interpretations, recommendations and conclusions are those of the authors and are not necessarily endorsed by the United States Government.
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Zwiller, V., Aichele, T., Seifert, W., Persson, J., & Benson, O. (2003). Generating visible single photons on demand with single InP quantum dots. Appl. Phys. Lett., 82(10), 1509–1511.
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Ferrari, S., Kovalyuk, V., Vetter, A., Lee, C., Rockstuhl, C., Semenov, A., et al. (2019). Analysis of the detection response of waveguide-integrated superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors at high count rate. Appl. Phys. Lett., 115(10), 101104.
Abstract: Nanophotonic circuitry and superconducting nanowires have been successfully combined for detecting single photons, propagating in an integrated photonic circuit, with high efficiency and low noise and timing uncertainty. Waveguide-integrated superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) can nowadays be engineered to achieve subnanosecond recovery times and can potentially be adopted for applications requiring Gcps count rates. However, particular attention shall be paid to such an extreme count rate regime since artifacts in the detector functionality emerge. In particular, a count-rate dependent detection efficiency has been encountered that can compromise the accuracy of quantum detector tomography experiments. Here, we investigate the response of waveguide-integrated SNSPDs at high photon flux and identify the presence of parasitic currents due to the accumulation of charge in the readout electronics to cause the above-mentioned artifact in the detection efficiency. Our approach allows us to determine the maximum photon count rate at which the detector can be operated without adverse effects. Our findings are particularly important to avoid artifacts when applying SNSPDs for quantum tomography.
We acknowledge support through ERC Consolidator Grant No. 724707 and from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft through Project No. PE 1832/5-1,2, as well as funding by the Volkswagen Foundation. This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No. 675745. V.K. and G.G. acknowledge support from the Russian Science Foundation Project No. 16-12-00045 (NbN film deposition and testing). A.V. acknowledges support from the Karlsruhe School of Optics and Photonics (KSOP).
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Kerman, A. J., Dauler, E. A., Yang, J. K. W., Rosfjord, K. M., Anant, V., Berggren, K. K., et al. (2007). Constriction-limited detection efficiency of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors. Appl. Phys. Lett., 90(10), 101110 (1 to 3).
Abstract: We investigate the source of the large variations in the observed detection efficiencies of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors between many nominally identical devices. Through both electrical and optical measurements, we infer that these variations arise from “constrictions:” highly localized regions of the nanowires where the effective cross-sectional area for superconducting current is reduced. These constrictions limit the bias-current density to well below its critical value over the remainder of the wire, and thus prevent the detection efficiency from reaching the high values that occur in these devices when they are biased near the critical current density.
This work is sponsored by the United States Air Force under Contract No. FA8721-05-C-0002.
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