|   | 
Details
   web
Records
Author Sobolewski, R.; Verevkin, A.; Gol'tsman, G.N.; Lipatov, A.; Wilsher, K.
Title Ultrafast superconducting single-photon optical detectors and their applications Type Journal Article
Year 2003 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal
Volume 13 Issue 2 Pages 1151-1157
Keywords (down) NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract We present a new class of ultrafast single-photon detectors for counting both visible and infrared photons. The detection mechanism is based on photon-induced hotspot formation, which forces the supercurrent redistribution and leads to the appearance of a transient resistive barrier across an ultrathin, submicrometer-width, superconducting stripe. The devices were fabricated from 3.5-nm- and 10-nm-thick NbN films, patterned into <200-nm-wide stripes in the 4 /spl times/ 4-/spl mu/m/sup 2/ or 10 /spl times/ 10-/spl mu/m/sup 2/ meander-type geometry, and operated at 4.2 K, well below the NbN critical temperature (T/sub c/=10-11 K). Continuous-wave and pulsed-laser optical sources in the 400-nm-to 3500-nm-wavelength range were used to determine the detector performance in the photon-counting mode. Experimental quantum efficiency was found to exponentially depend on the photon wavelength, and for our best, 3.5-nm-thick, 100-/spl mu/m/sup 2/-area devices varied from >10% for 405-nm radiation to 3.5% for 1550-nm photons. The detector response time and jitter were /spl sim/100 ps and 35 ps, respectively, and were acquisition system limited. The dark counts were below 0.01 per second at optimal biasing. In terms of the counting rate, jitter, and dark counts, the NbN single-photon detectors significantly outperform their semiconductor counterparts. Already-identified applications for our devices range from noncontact testing of semiconductor CMOS VLSI circuits to free-space quantum cryptography and communications.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1051-8223 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 509
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Semenov, A.; Engel, A.; Il'in, K.; Gol'tsman, G.; Siegel, M.; Hübers, H.-W.
Title Ultimate performance of a superconducting quantum detector Type Journal Article
Year 2003 Publication Eur. Phys. J. Appl. Phys. Abbreviated Journal Eur. Phys. J. Appl. Phys.
Volume 21 Issue 3 Pages 171-178
Keywords (down) NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract We analyze the ultimate performance of a superconducting quantum detector in order to meet requirements for applications in near-infrared astronomy and X-ray spectroscopy. The detector exploits a combined detection mechanism, in which avalanche quasiparticle multiplication and the supercurrent jointly produce a voltage response to a single absorbed photon via successive formation of a photon-induced and a current-induced normal hotspot in a narrow superconducting strip. The response time of the detector should increase with the photon energy providing energy resolution. Depending on the superconducting material and operation conditions, the cut-off wavelength for the single-photon detection regime varies from infrared waves to visible light. We simulated the performance of the background-limited infrared direct detector and X-ray photon counter utilizing the above mechanism. Low dark count rate and intrinsic low-frequency cut-off allow for realizing a background limited noise equivalent power of 10−20 W Hz−1/2 for a far-infrared direct detector exposed to 4-K background radiation. At low temperatures, the intrinsic response time of the counter is rather determined by diffusion of nonequilibrium electrons than by the rate of energy transfer to phonons. Therefore, thermal fluctuations do not hamper energy resolution of the X-ray photon counter that should be better than 10−3 for 6-keV photons. Comparison of new data obtained with a Nb based detector and previously reported results on NbN quantum detectors support our estimates of ultimate detector performance.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1286-0042 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 534
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Zhang, J.; Pearlman, A.; Slysz, W.; Verevkin, A.; Sobolewski, R.; Wilsher, K.; Lo, W.; Okunev, O.; Korneev, A.; Kouminov, P.; Chulkova, G.; Gol’tsman, G. N.
Title A superconducting single-photon detector for CMOS IC probing Type Conference Article
Year 2003 Publication Proc. 16-th LEOS Abbreviated Journal Proc. 16-th LEOS
Volume 2 Issue Pages 602-603
Keywords (down) NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract In this paper, a novel, time-resolved, NbN-based, superconducting single-photon detector (SSPD) has been developed for probing CMOS integrated circuits (ICs) using photon emission timing analysis (PETA).
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference The 16th Annual Meeting of the IEEE Lasers and Electro-Optics Society, 2003. LEOS 2003.
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1510
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Sobolewski, R.; Zhang, J.; Slysz, W.; Pearlman, A.; Verevkin, A.; Lipatov, A.; Okunev, O.; Chulkova, G.; Korneev, A.; Smirnov, K.; Kouminov, P.; Voronov, B.; Kaurova, N.; Drakinsky, V.; Goltsman, G. N.
Title Ultrafast superconducting single-photon optical detectors Type Conference Article
Year 2003 Publication Proc. SPIE Abbreviated Journal Proc. SPIE
Volume 5123 Issue Pages 1-11
Keywords (down) NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract We present a new class of single-photon devices for counting of both visible and infrared photons. Our superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPDs) are characterized by the intrinsic quantum efficiency (QE) reaching up to 100%, above 10 GHz counting rate, and negligible dark counts. The detection mechanism is based on the photon-induced hotspot formation and subsequent appearance of a transient resistive barrier across an ultrathin and submicron-wide superconducting stripe. The devices are fabricated from 3.5-nm-thick NbN films and operate at 4.2 K, well below the NbN superconducting transition temperature. Various continuous and pulsed laser sources in the wavelength range from 0.4 μm up to >3 μm were implemented in our experiments, enabling us to determine the detector QE in the photon-counting mode, response time, and jitter. For our best 3.5-nm-thick, 10×10 μm2-area devices, QE was found to reach almost 100% for any wavelength shorter than about 800 nm. For longer-wavelength (infrared) radiation, QE decreased exponentially with the photon wavelength increase. Time-resolved measurements of our SSPDs showed that the system-limited detector response pulse width was below 150 ps. The system jitter was measured to be 35 ps. In terms of the counting rate, jitter, and dark counts, the NbN SSPDs significantly outperform their semiconductor counterparts. Already identifeid and implemented applications of our devices range from noninvasive testing of semiconductor VLSI circuits to free-space quantum communications and quantum cryptography.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher SPIE Place of Publication Editor Spigulis, J.; Teteris, J.; Ozolinsh, M.; Lusis, A.
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference Advanced Optical Devices, Technologies, and Medical Applications
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1513
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Gol’tsman, G. N.; Smirnov, K.; Kouminov, P.; Voronov, B.; Kaurova, N.; Drakinsky, V.; Zhang, J.; Verevkin, A.; Sobolewski, R.
Title Fabrication of nanostructured superconducting single-photon detectors Type Journal Article
Year 2003 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
Volume 13 Issue 2 Pages 192-195
Keywords (down) NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract Fabrication of NbN superconducting single-photon detectors, based on the hotspot effect is presented. The hotspot formation arises in an ultrathin and submicrometer-width superconductor stripe and, together with the supercurrent redistribution, leads to the resistive detector response upon absorption of a photon. The detector has a meander structure to maximally increase its active area and reach the highest detection efficiency. Main processing steps, leading to efficient devices, sensitive in 0.4-5 /spl mu/m wavelength range, are presented. The impact of various processing steps on the performance and operational parameters of our detectors is discussed.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1558-2515 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1515
Permanent link to this record