|   | 
Details
   web
Records
Author Milostnaya, I.; Korneev, A.; Minaeva, O.; Rubtsova, I.; Slepneva, S.; Seleznev, V.; Chulkova, G.; Okunev, O.; Smirnov, K.; Voronov, B.; Gol’tsman, G.; Slysz, W.; Kitaygorsky, J.; Cross, A.; Pearlman, A.; Sobolewski, R.
Title (up) Superconducting nanostructured detectors capable of single photon counting of mid-infrared optical radiation Type Conference Article
Year 2005 Publication Proc. SPIE Abbreviated Journal Proc. SPIE
Volume 5957 Issue Pages 59570A (1 to 9)
Keywords SSPD, SNSPD, single-photon detectors, superconductors, superconducting
Abstract We report on our progress in research and development of ultrafast superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPDs) based on ultrathin NbN nanostructures. Our SSPDs were made of the 4-nm-thick NbN films with Tc 11 K, patterned as meander-shaped, 100-nm-wide strips, and covering an area of 10×10 μm2. The detectors exploit a combined detection mechanism, where upon a single-photon absorption, a hotspot of excited electrons and redistribution of the biasing supercurrent, jointly produce a picosecond voltage transient signal across the superconducting nanostripe. The SSPDs are typically operated at 4.2 K, but their sensitivity in the infrared radiation range can be significantly improved by lowering the operating temperature from 4.2 K to 2 K. When operated at 2 K, the SSPD quantum efficiency (QE) for visible light photons reaches 30-40%, which is the saturation value limited by the optical absorption of our 4-nm-thick NbN film. With the wavelength increase of the incident photons,the QE of SSPDs decreases significantly, but even at the wavelength of 6 μm, the detector is able to count single photons and exhibits QE of about 10-2 %. The dark (false) count rate at 2 K is as low as 2x10-4 s,-1 which makes our detector essentially a background-limited sensor. The very low dark-count rate results in a noise equivalent power (NEP) below 10-18 WHz-1/2 for the mid-infrared range (6 μm). Further improvement of the SSPD performance in the mid-infrared range can be obtained by substituting NbN for another, lower-Tc materials with a narrow superconducting gap and low quasiparticles diffusivity. The use of such superconductors should shift the cutoff wavelength below 10 μm.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher SPIE Place of Publication Editor Rogalski, A.; Dereniak, E.L.; Sizov, F.F.
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference Infrared Photoelectronics
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1458
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Gol'tsman, G.; Korneev, A.; Minaeva, O.; Rubtsova, I.; Milostnaya, I.; Chulkova, G.; Voronov, B.; Smirnov, K.; Seleznev, V.; Słysz, W.; Kitaygorsky, J.; Cross, A.; Pearlman, A.; Sobolewski, Roman
Title (up) Superconducting nanostructured detectors capable of single-photon counting in the THz range Type Conference Article
Year 2005 Publication Proc. 16th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 16th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue Pages 555-557
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract We present the results of the NbN superconducting single-photon detector sensitivity measurement in the visible to mid-IR range. For visible and near IR light (0.56 — 1.3μm wavelengths) the detector exhibits 30% quantum efficiency saturation value limited by the NbN film absorption and extremely low level of dark counts (2x10 -4 s -1). The detector manifested single-photon counting up to 6 μm wavelength with the quantum efficiency reaching 10 -2 % at 5.6 μm and 3 K temperature.
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
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1476
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Chulkova, G.; Milostnaya, I.; Korneev, A.; Minaeva, O.; Rubtsova, I.; Voronov, B.; Okunev, O.; Smirnov, K.; Gol’tsman, G.; Kitaygorsky, J.; Cross, A.; Pearlman, A.; Sobolewski, R.; Slysz, W.
Title (up) Superconducting nanostructures for counting of single photons in the infrared range Type Conference Article
Year 2005 Publication Proc. 2-nd CAOL Abbreviated Journal Proc. 2-nd CAOL
Volume 2 Issue Pages 100-103
Keywords SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract We present our studies on ultrafast superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPDs) based on ultrathin NbN nanostructures. Our SSPDs are patterned by electron beam lithography from 4-nm thick NbN film into meander-shaped strips covering square area of 10/spl times/10 /spl mu/m/sup 2/. The advances in the fabrication technology allowed us to produce highly uniform 100-120-nm-wide strips with meander filling factor close to 0.6. The detectors exploit a combined detection mechanism, where upon a single-photon absorption, an avalanche of excited hot electrons and the biasing supercurrent, jointly produce a picosecond voltage transient response across the superconducting nanostrip. The SSPDs are typically operated at 4.2 K, but they have shown that their sensitivity in the infrared radiation range can be significantly improved by lowering the operating temperature from 4.2 K to 2 K. When operated at 2 K, the SSPD quantum efficiency (QE) for visible light photons reaches 30-40%, which is the saturation value limited by optical absorption of our 4-nm-thick NbN film. For 1.55 /spl mu/m photons, QE was /spl sim/20% and decreases exponentially with the increase of the optical wavelength, but even at the wavelength of 6 /spl mu/m the detector remains sensitive to single photons and exhibits QE of about 10/sup -2/%. The dark (false) count rate at 2 K is as low as 2 /spl times/ 10/sup -4/ s/sup -1/, what makes our detector essentially a background-limited sensor. The very low dark-count rate results in the noise equivalent power (NEP) as low as 10/sup -18/ WHz/sup -1/2/ for the mid-infrared range (6 /spl mu/m). Further improvement of the SSPD performance in the mid-infrared range can be obtained by substituting NbN for the other, lower-T/sub c/ superconductors with the narrow superconducting gap and low quasiparticle diffusivity. The use of such materials will shift the cutoff wavelength towards the values even longer than 6 /spl mu/m.
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 Second International Conference on Advanced Optoelectronics and Lasers
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1461
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Marsili, F.; Bitauld, D.; Divochiy, A.; Gaggero, A.; Leoni, R.; Mattioli, F.; Korneev, A.; Seleznev, V.; Kaurova, N.; Minaeva, O.; Gol’tsman, G.; Lagoudakis, K.G.; Benkahoul, M.; Lévy, F.; Fiore, A.
Title (up) Superconducting nanowire photon number resolving detector at telecom wavelength Type Conference Article
Year 2008 Publication CLEO/QELS Abbreviated Journal CLEO/QELS
Volume Issue Pages Qmj1 (1 to 2)
Keywords PNR SSPD; SNSPD; Detectors; Infrared; Low light level; Diode lasers; Photons; Scanning electron microscopy; Superconductors; Ti:sapphire lasers
Abstract We demonstrate a photon-number-resolving (PNR) detector, based on parallel superconducting nanowires, capable of resolving up to 5 photons in the telecommunication wavelength range, with sensitivity and speed far exceeding existing approaches.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Optical Society of America Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN 978-1-55752-859-9 Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Marsili:08 Serial 1243
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Goltsman, G. N.; Shcherbatenko, M. L.; Lobanov, Y. V.; Kovalyuk, V. V.; Kahl, O.; Ferrari, S.; Korneev, A.; Pernice, W. H. P.
Title (up) Superconducting nanowire single photon detector for coherent detection of weak optical signals Type Abstract
Year 2016 Publication LPHYS'16 Abbreviated Journal LPHYS'16
Volume Issue Pages 1-2
Keywords SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract Traditionally, photon detectors are operated in a direct detection mode counting incident photonswith a known quantum efficiency. This procedure allows one to detect weak sources of radiation but allthe information about its frequency is limited by the optical filtering/resonating structures used which arenot as precise as would be required for some practical applications. In this work we propose heterodynereceiver based on a photon counting mixer which would combine excellent sensitivity of a photon countingdetector and excellent spectral resolution given by the heterodyne technique. At present, Superconducting-Nanowire-Single-Photon-Detectors (SNSPDs) [1] are widely used in a variety of applications providing thebest possible combination of the sensitivity and speed. SNSPDs demonstrate lack of drawbacks like highdark count rate or autopulsing, which are common for traditional semiconductor-based photon detectors,such as avalanche photon diodes.In our study we have investigated SNSPD operated as a photon counting mixer. To fully understandits behavior in such a regime, we have utilized experimental setup based on a couple of distributedfeedback lasers irradiating at 1.5 micrometers, one of which is being the Local Oscillator (LO) and theother mimics the test signal [2]. The SNSPD was operated in the current mode and the bias currentwas slightly below of the critical current. Advantageously, we have found that LO power needed for anoptimal mixing is of the order of hundreds of femtowatts to a few picowatts, which is promising for manypractical applications, such as receiver matrices [3]. With use of the two lasers, one can observe thevoltage pulses produced by the detected photons, and the time distribution of the pulses reproduces thefrequency difference between the lasers, forming power response at the intermediate frequency which canbe captured by either an oscilloscope (an analysis of the pulse statistics is needed) or by an RF spectrumanalyzer. Photon-counting nature of the detector ensures quantum-limited sensitivity with respect to theoptical coupling achieved. In addition to the chip SNSPD with normal incidence coupling, we use thedetectors with a travelling wave geometry design [4]. In this case a NbN nanowire is placed on the topof a Si3N4 nanophotonic waveguide, thus increasing the efficient interaction length. For this reason it ispossible to achieve almost complete absorption of photons and reduce the detector footprint. This reducesthe noise of the device together with the expansion of the bandwidth. Integrated device scheme allowsus to measure the optical losses with high accuracy. Our approach is fully scalable and, along with alarge number of devices integrated on a single chip can be adapted to the mid and far IR ranges wherephoton-counting measurement may be beneficial as well [5].Acknowledgements: This work was supported in part by the Ministry of Education and Science of theRussian Federation, contract No. 14.B25.31.0007 and by RFBR grant No. 16-32-00465.
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
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1220
Permanent link to this record