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Arutyunov, K. Y., Ramos-Alvarez, A., Semenov, A. V., Korneeva, Y. P., An, P. P., Korneev, A. A., et al. (2016). Superconductivity in highly disordered NbN nanowires. Nanotechnol., 27(47), 47lt02 (1 to 8).
Abstract: The topic of superconductivity in strongly disordered materials has attracted significant attention. These materials appear to be rather promising for fabrication of various nanoscale devices such as bolometers and transition edge sensors of electromagnetic radiation. The vividly debated subject of intrinsic spatial inhomogeneity responsible for the non-Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer relation between the superconducting gap and the pairing potential is crucial both for understanding the fundamental issues of superconductivity in highly disordered superconductors, and for the operation of corresponding nanoelectronic devices. Here we report an experimental study of the electron transport properties of narrow NbN nanowires with effective cross sections of the order of the debated inhomogeneity scales. The temperature dependence of the critical current follows the textbook Ginzburg-Landau prediction for the quasi-one-dimensional superconducting channel I c approximately (1-T/T c)(3/2). We find that conventional models based on the the phase slip mechanism provide reasonable fits for the shape of R(T) transitions. Better agreement with R(T) data can be achieved assuming the existence of short 'weak links' with slightly reduced local critical temperature T c. Hence, one may conclude that an 'exotic' intrinsic electronic inhomogeneity either does not exist in our structures, or, if it does exist, it does not affect their resistive state properties, or does not provide any specific impact distinguishable from conventional weak links.
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Shcherbatenko, M., Lobanov, Y., Semenov, A., Kovalyuk, V., Korneev, A., Ozhegov, R., et al. (2016). Potential of a superconducting photon counter for heterodyne detection at the telecommunication wavelength. Opt. Express, 24(26), 30474–30484.
Abstract: Here, we report on the successful operation of a NbN thin film superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD) in a coherent mode (as a mixer) at the telecommunication wavelength of 1550 nm. Providing the local oscillator power of the order of a few picowatts, we were practically able to reach the quantum noise limited sensitivity. The intermediate frequency gain bandwidth (also referred to as response or conversion bandwidth) was limited by the spectral band of a single-photon response pulse of the detector, which is proportional to the detector size. We observed a gain bandwidth of 65 MHz and 140 MHz for 7 x 7 microm2 and 3 x 3 microm2 devices, respectively. A tiny amount of the required local oscillator power and wide gain and noise bandwidths, along with unnecessary low noise amplification, make this technology prominent for various applications, with the possibility for future development of a photon counting heterodyne-born large-scale array.
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Martini, F., Cibella, S., Gaggero, A., Mattioli, F., & Leoni, R. (2021). Waveguide integrated hot electron bolometer for classical and quantum photonics. Opt. Express, 29(6), 7956–7965.
Abstract: The development of performant integrated detectors, which are sensitive to quantum fluctuations of coherent light, are strongly desired to realize a scalable and determinist photonic quantum processor based on continuous variables states of light. Here, we investigate the performance of hot electron bolometers (HEBs) fabricated on top of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) photonic circuit showing responsivities up to 8600 V/W and a record noise equivalent temperature of 1.1 dB above the quantum limit. Thanks to a detailed analysis of the noise sources of the waveguide integrated HEB, we estimate 14.8 dBV clearance between the shot noise and electrical noise with just 1.1microW of local oscillator power. The full technology compatibility with superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs) opens the possibility of nonclassical state engineering and state tomography performed within the same platform, enabling a new class of optical quantum processors.
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Morozov, P., Lukina, M., Shirmanova, M., Divochiy, A., Dudenkova, V., Gol'tsman, G. N., et al. (2021). Singlet oxygen phosphorescence imaging by superconducting single-photon detector and time-correlated single-photon counting. Opt. Lett., 46(6), 1217–1220.
Abstract: This Letter presents, to the best of our knowledge, a novel optical configuration for direct time-resolved measurements of luminescence from singlet oxygen, both in solutions and from cultured cells on photodynamic therapy. The system is based on the superconducting single-photon detector, coupled to the confocal scanner that is modified for the near-infrared measurements. The recording of a phosphorescence signal from singlet oxygen at 1270 nm has been done using time-correlated single-photon counting. The performance of the system is verified by measuring phosphorescence from singlet oxygen generated by the photosensitizers commonly used in photodynamic therapy: methylene blue and chlorin e6. The described system can be easily upgraded to the configuration when both phosphorescence from singlet oxygen and fluorescence from the cells can be detected in the imaging mode. Thus, co-localization of the signal from singlet oxygen with the areas inside the cells can be done.
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Divochiy, A., Misiaszek, M., Vakhtomin, Y., Morozov, P., Smirnov, K., Zolotov, P., et al. (2018). Single photon detection system for visible and infrared spectrum range. Opt. Lett., 43(24), 6085–6088.
Abstract: We demonstrate niobium nitride based superconducting single-photon detectors sensitive in the spectral range 452-2300 nm. The system performance was tested in a real-life experiment with correlated photons generated by means of spontaneous parametric downconversion, where one photon was in the visible range and the other was in the infrared range. We measured a signal to noise ratio as high as 4x10(4) in our detection setting. A photon detection efficiency as high as 64% at 1550 nm and 15% at 2300 nm was observed.
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