Moshkova, M. A., Divochiy, A. V., Morozov, P. V., Antipov, A. V., Vakhtomin, Y. B., & Smirnov, K. V. (2019). Characterization of topologies of superconducting photon number resolving detectors. In Proc. 8th Int. Conf. Photonics and Information Optics (pp. 465–466).
Abstract: Comparative analysis for different topologies of superconducting single-photon detectors with ability to resolve up to 4 photons in a short pulse of IR radiation has been carry out. It was developed the detector with a system detection efficiency of ~ 85 % at λ = 1550 nm. The possibility of using such detector to restore photon statistics of a pulsed radiation source was demonstrated.
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Smirnov, K., Vachtomin, Y., Divochiy, A., Antipov, A., & Goltsman, G. (2015). The limitation of noise equivalent power by background radiation for infrared superconducting single photon detectors coupled to standard single mode optical fibers. Rus. J. Radio Electron., (5).
Abstract: We investigated the minimum level of the dark count rates and noise equivalent power of superconducting single photon detectors coupled to standard single mode optical fibers. We found that background radiation limits the minimum level of the dark count rates. We also proposed the effective method for reducing background radiation out of the required spectral range of the detector. Measured noise equivalent power of detector reaches 8.9×10-19 W×Hz1/2 at a wavelength of 1.55 μm and quantum efficiency 35%.
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Gol'tsman, G., Korneev, A., Minaeva, O., Antipov, A., Divochiy, A., Kaurova, N., et al. (2006). Middle-infrared to visible-light ultrafast superconducting single-photon detector. In Proc. ASC. Seattle.
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Goltsman, G., Korneev, A., Divochiy, A., Minaeva, O., Tarkhov, M., Kaurova, N., et al. (2009). Ultrafast superconducting single-photon detector. J. Modern Opt., 56(15), 1670–1680.
Abstract: The state-of-the-art of the NbN nanowire superconducting single-photon detector technology (SSPD) is presented. The SSPDs exhibit excellent performance at 2 K temperature: 30% quantum efficiency from visible to infrared, negligible dark count rate, single-photon sensitivity up to 5.6 µm. The recent achievements in the development of GHz counting rate devices with photon-number resolving capability is presented.
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Moshkova, M., Divochiy, A., Morozov, P., Vakhtomin, Y., Antipov, A., Zolotov, P., et al. (2019). High-performance superconducting photon-number-resolving detectors with 86% system efficiency at telecom range. J. Opt. Soc. Am. B, 36(3), B20.
Abstract: The use of improved fabrication technology, highly disordered NbN thin films, and intertwined section topology makes it possible to create high-performance photon-number-resolving superconducting single-photon detectors (PNR SSPDs) that are comparable to conventional single-element SSPDs at the telecom range. The developed four-section PNR SSPD has simultaneously an 86±3% system detection efficiency, 35 cps dark count rate, ∼2 ns dead time, and maximum 90 ps jitter. An investigation of the PNR SSPD’s detection efficiency for multiphoton events shows good uniformity across sections. As a result, such a PNR SSPD is a good candidate for retrieving the photon statistics for light sources and quantum key distribution systems.
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Smirnov, K., Divochiy, A., Vakhtomin, Y., Morozov, P., Zolotov, P., Antipov, A., et al. (2018). NbN single-photon detectors with saturated dependence of quantum efficiency. Supercond. Sci. Technol., 31(3), 035011 (1 to 8).
Abstract: The possibility of creating NbN superconducting single-photon detectors with saturated dependence of quantum efficiency (QE) versus normalized bias current was investigated. It was shown that the saturation increases for the detectors based on finer films with a lower value of Rs300/Rs20. The decreasing of Rs300/Rs20 was related to the increasing influence of quantum corrections to conductivity of superconductors and, in turn, to the decrease of the electron diffusion coefficient. The best samples have a constant value of system QE 94% at Ib/Ic ~ 0.8 and wavelength 1310 nm.
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Korneev, A., Minaeva, O., Divochiy, A., Antipov, A., Kaurova, N., Seleznev, V., et al. (2007). Ultrafast and high quantum efficiency large-area superconducting single-photon detectors. In M. Dusek, M. S. Hillery, W. P. Schleich, I. Prochazka, A. L. Migdall, & A. Pauchard (Eds.), Proc. SPIE (Vol. 6583, 65830I (1 to 9)). Spie.
Abstract: We present our latest generation of superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPDs) patterned from 4-nm-thick NbN films, as meander-shaped 0.5-mm-long and 100-nm-wide stripes. The SSPDs exhibit excellent performance parameters in the visible-to-near-infrared radiation wavelengths: quantum efficiency (QE) of our best devices approaches a saturation level of 30% even at 4.2 K (limited by the NbN film optical absorption) and dark counts as low as 2x10-4 Hz. The presented SSPDs were designed to maintain the QE of large-active-area devices, but, unless our earlier SSPDs, hampered by a significant kinetic inductance and a nanosecond response time, they are characterized by a low inductance and GHz counting rates. We have designed, simulated, and tested the structures consisting of several, connected in parallel, meander sections, each having a resistor connected in series. Such new, multi-element geometry led to a significant decrease of the device kinetic inductance without the decrease of its active area and QE. The presented improvement in the SSPD performance makes our detectors most attractive for high-speed quantum communications and quantum cryptography applications.
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Okunev, O., Chulkova, G., Milostnaya, I., Antipov, A., Smirnov, K., Morozov, D., et al. (2008). Registration of infrared single photons by a two-channel receiver based on fiber-coupled superconducting single-photon detectors. In I. A. Sukhoivanov, V. A. Svich, & Y. S. Shmaliy (Eds.), Proc. SPIE (Vol. 7009, 70090V (1 to 8)). SPIE.
Abstract: Single-photon detectors (SPDs) are the foundation of all quantum communications (QC) protocols. Among different classes of SPDs currently studied, NbN superconducting SPDs (SSPDs) are established as the best devices for ultrafast counting of single photons in the infrared (IR) wavelength range. The SSPDs are nanostructured, 100 μm2 in total area, superconducting meanders, patterned by electron lithography in ultra-thin NbN films. Their operation has been explained within a phenomenological hot-electron photoresponse model. We present the design and performance of a novel, two-channel SPD receiver, based on two fiber-coupled NbN SSPDs. The receivers have been developed for fiber-based QC systems, operational at 1.3 μm and 1.55 μm telecommunication wavelengths. They operate in the temperature range from 4.2 K to 2 K, in which the NbN SSPDs exhibit their best performance. The receiver unit has been designed as a cryostat insert, placed inside a standard liquid-heliumstorage dewar. The input of the receiver consists of a pair of single-mode optical fibers, equipped with the standard FC connectors and kept at room temperature. Coupling between the SSPD and the fiber is achieved using a specially designed, precise micromechanical holder that places the fiber directly on top of the SSPD nanostructure. Our receivers achieve the quantum efficiency of up to 7% for near-IR photons, with the coupling efficiency of about 30%. The response time was measured to be < 1.5 ns and it was limited by our read-out electronics. The jitter of fiber-coupled SSPDs is < 35 ps and their dark-count rate is below 1s-1. The presented performance parameters show that our single-photon receivers are fully applicable for quantum correlation-type QC systems, including practical quantum cryptography.
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Slysz, W., Wegrzecki, M., Bar, J., Grabiec, P., Gorska, M., Rieger, E., et al. (2007). Fiber-coupled NbN superconducting single-photon detectors for quantum correlation measurements. In M. Dusek, M. S. Hillery, W. P. Schleich, I. Prochazka, A. L. Migdall, & A. Pauchard (Eds.), Proc. SPIE (Vol. 6583, 65830J (1 to 11)). Spie.
Abstract: We have fabricated fiber-coupled superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPDs), designed for quantum-correlationtype experiments. The SSPDs are nanostructured ( 100-nm wide and 4-nm thick) NbN superconducting meandering stripes, operated in the 2 to 4.2 K temperature range, and known for ultrafast and efficient detection of visible to nearinfrared photons with almost negligible dark counts. Our latest devices are pigtailed structures with coupling between the SSPD structure and a single-mode optical fiber achieved using a micromechanical photoresist ring placed directly over the meander. The above arrangement withstands repetitive thermal cycling between liquid helium and room temperature, and we can reach the coupling efficiency of up to 33%. The system quantum efficiency, measured as the ratio of the photons counted by SSPD to the total number of photons coupled into the fiber, in our early devices was found to be around 0.3 % and 1% for 1.55 &mgr;m and 0.9 &mgr;m photon wavelengths, respectively. The photon counting rate exceeded 250 MHz. The receiver with two SSPDs, each individually biased, was placed inside a transport, 60-liter liquid helium Dewar, assuring uninterrupted operation for over 2 months. Since the receiver’s optical and electrical connections are at room temperature, the set-up is suitable for any applications, where single-photon counting capability and fast count rates are desired. In our case, it was implemented for photon correlation experiments. The receiver response time, measured as a second-order photon cross-correlation function, was found to be below 400 ps, with timing jitter of less than 40 ps.
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Smirnov, K., Korneev, A., Minaeva, O., Divochij, A., Rubtsova, I., Antipov, A., et al. (2006). Superconducting single-photon detector for near- and middle IR wavelength range. In Proc. 16th Int. Crimean Microwave and Telecommunication Technology (Vol. 2, pp. 684–685).
Abstract: Presented in this paper are the results of research of NbN-film superconducting single-photon detector. At 2 K temperature, quantum efficiency in the visible light (0.56 mum) reaches 30-40 %. With the wavelength increase quantum efficiency decreases and comes to 20% at 1.55 mum and 0.02% at 5.6 mum. Minimum dark counts rate is 2times10-4s-1. The jitter of detector is 35 ps. The detector was successfully implemented for integrated circuits non-invasive optical testing. It is also perspective for quantum cryptography systems
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