Ferrari, S., Kahl, O., Kovalyuk, V., Goltsman, G. N., Korneev, A., & Pernice, W. H. P. (2015). Waveguide-integrated single- and multi-photon detection at telecom wavelengths using superconducting nanowires. Appl. Phys. Lett., 106(15), 151101 (1 to 5).
Abstract: We investigate single- and multi-photon detection regimes of superconducting nanowire detectors embedded in silicon nitride nanophotonic circuits. At near-infrared wavelengths, simultaneous detection of up to three photons is observed for 120 nm wide nanowires biased far from the critical current, while narrow nanowires below 100 nm provide efficient single photon detection. A theoretical model is proposed to determine the different detection regimes and to calculate the corresponding internal quantum efficiency. The predicted saturation of the internal quantum efficiency in the single photon regime agrees well with plateau behavior observed at high bias currents.
W. H. P. Pernice acknowledges support by the DFG Grant Nos. PE 1832/1-1 and PE 1832/1-2 and the Helmholtz society through Grant No. HIRG-0005. The Ph.D. education of O. Kahl is embedded in the Karlsruhe School of Optics and Photonics (KSOP). G. N. Goltsman acknowledges support by Russian Federation President Grant HШ-1918.2014.2 and Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation Contract No.: RFMEFI58614X0007. A. Korneev acknowledges support by Statement Task No. 3.1846.2014/k. V. Kovalyuk acknowledges support by Statement Task No. 2327. We also acknowledge support by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and the State of Baden-Württemberg through the DFG-Center for Functional Nanostructures (CFN) within subproject A6.4. We thank S. Kühn and S. Diewald for the help with device fabrication as well as B. Voronov and A. Shishkin for help with NbN thin film deposition and A. Semenov for helpful discussion about the detection mechanism of nanowire SSPD's.
The authors declare no competing financial interests.
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Kahl, O., Ferrari, S., Kovalyuk, V., Goltsman, G. N., Korneev, A., & Pernice, W. H. P. (2015). Waveguide integrated superconducting single-photon detectors with high internal quantum efficiency at telecom wavelengths. Sci. Rep., 5, 10941 (1 to 11).
Abstract: Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) provide high efficiency for detecting individual photons while keeping dark counts and timing jitter minimal. Besides superior detection performance over a broad optical bandwidth, compatibility with an integrated optical platform is a crucial requirement for applications in emerging quantum photonic technologies. Here we present efficiencies close to unity at 1550nm wavelength. This allows for the SNSPDs to be operated at bias currents far below the critical current where unwanted dark count events reach milli-Hz levels while on-chip detection efficiencies above 70% are maintained. The measured dark count rates correspond to noiseequivalent powers in the 10–19W/Hz–1/2 range and the timing jitter is as low as 35ps. Our detectors are fully scalable and interface directly with waveguide-based optical platforms.
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Kovalyuk, V., Ferrari, S., Kahl, O., Semenov, A., Lobanov, Y., Shcherbatenko, M., et al. (2017). Waveguide integrated superconducting single-photon detector for on-chip quantum and spectral photonic application. In J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. (Vol. 917, 062032).
Abstract: With use of the travelling-wave geometry approach, integrated superconductor- nanophotonic devices based on silicon nitride nanophotonic waveguide with a superconducting NbN-nanowire suited on top of the waveguide were fabricated. NbN-nanowire was operated as a single-photon counting detector with up to 92 % on-chip detection efficiency in the coherent mode, serving as a highly sensitive IR heterodyne mixer with spectral resolution (f/df) greater than 106 in C-band at 1550 nm wavelength
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Vodolazov, D. Y., Korneeva, Y. P., Semenov, A. V., Korneev, A. A., & Goltsman, G. N. (2015). Vortex-assisted mechanism of photon counting in a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector revealed by external magnetic field. Phys. Rev. B, 92(10), 104503 (1 to 9).
Abstract: We use an external magnetic field to probe the detection mechanism of a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector. We argue that the hot belt model (which assumes partial suppression of the superconducting order parameter Δ across the whole width of the superconducting nanowire after absorption of the photon) does not explain observed weak-field dependence of the photon count rate (PCR) for photons with λ=450nm and noticeable decrease of PCR (with increasing the magnetic field) in a range of the currents for photons with wavelengths λ=450–1200nm. Found experimental results for all studied wavelengths can be explained by the vortex hot spot model (which assumes partial suppression of Δ in the area with size smaller than the width of the nanowire) if one takes into account nucleation and entrance of the vortices to the photon induced hot spot and their pinning by the hot spot with relatively large size and strongly suppressed Δ.
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Smirnov, K., Korneev, A., Minaeva, O., Divochiy, A., Tarkhov, M., Ryabchun, S., et al. (2007). Ultrathin NbN film superconducting single-photon detector array. In J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. (Vol. 61, pp. 1081–1085).
Abstract: We report on the fabrication process of the 2 × 2 superconducting single-photon detector (SSPD) array. The SSPD array is made from ultrathin NbN film and is operated at liquid helium temperatures. Each detector is a nanowire-based structure patterned by electron beam lithography process. The advances in fabrication technology allowed us to produce highly uniform strips and preserve superconducting properties of the unpatterned film. SSPD exhibit up to 30% quantum efficiency in near infrared and up to 1% at 5-μm wavelength. Due to 120 MHz counting rate and 18 ps jitter, the time-domain multiplexing read-out is proposed for large scale SSPD arrays. Single-pixel SSPD has already found a practical application in non-invasive testing of semiconductor very-large scale integrated circuits. The SSPD significantly outperformed traditional single-photon counting avalanche diodes.
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Sobolewski, R., Zhang, J., Slysz, W., Pearlman, A., Verevkin, A., Lipatov, A., et al. (2003). Ultrafast superconducting single-photon optical detectors. In J. Spigulis, J. Teteris, M. Ozolinsh, & A. Lusis (Eds.), Proc. SPIE (Vol. 5123, pp. 1–11). SPIE.
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.
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Gol'tsman, G. N., Korneev, A., Rubtsova, I., Milostnaya, I., Chulkova, G., Minaeva, O., et al. (2005). Ultrafast superconducting single-photon detectors for near-infrared-wavelength quantum communications. Phys. Stat. Sol. (C), 2(5), 1480–1488.
Abstract: We present our progress on the research and development of NbN superconducting single‐photon detectors (SSPD's) for ultrafast counting of near‐infrared photons for secure quantum communications. Our SSPD's operate in the quantum detection mode based on the photon‐induced hotspot formation and subsequent development of a transient resistive barrier across an ultrathin and submicron‐width superconducting stripe. The devices are fabricated from 4‐nm‐thick NbN films and kept in the 4.2‐ to 2‐K temperature range. The detector experimental quantum efficiency in the photon‐counting mode reaches above 40% for the visible light and up to 30% in the 1.3‐ to 1.55‐µm wavelength range with dark counts below 0.01 per second. The experimental real‐time counting rate is above 2 GHz and is limited by our readout electronics. The SSPD's timing jitter is below 18 ps, and the best‐measured value of the noise‐equivalent power (NEP) is 5 × 10–21 W/Hz1/2 at 1.3 µm. In terms of quantum efficiency, timing jitter, and maximum counting rate, our NbN SSPD's significantly outperform semiconductor avalanche photodiodes and photomultipliers in the 1.3‐ to 1.55‐µm range.
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Verevkin, A., Pearlman, A., Slysz, W., Zhang, J., Currie, M., Korneev, A., et al. (2004). Ultrafast superconducting single-photon detectors for near-infrared-wavelength quantum communications. J. Modern Opt., 51(9-10), 1447–1458.
Abstract: The paper reports progress on the design and development of niobium-nitride, superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPDs) for ultrafast counting of near-infrared photons for secure quantum communications. The SSPDs operate in the quantum detection mode, based on photon-induced hotspot formation and subsequent appearance of a transient resistive barrier across an ultrathin and submicron-width superconducting stripe. The devices are fabricated from 3.5 nm thick NbN films and kept at cryogenic (liquid helium) temperatures inside a cryostat. The detector experimental quantum efficiency in the photon-counting mode reaches above 20% in the visible radiation range and up to 10% at the 1.3–1.55 μn infrared range. The dark counts are below 0.01 per second. The measured real-time counting rate is above 2 GHz and is limited by readout electronics (the intrinsic response time is below 30 ps). The SSPD jitter is below 18 ps, and the best-measured value of the noise-equivalent power (NEP) is 2 × 10−18 W/Hz1/2. at 1.3 μm. In terms of photon-counting efficiency and speed, these NbN SSPDs significantly outperform semiconductor avalanche photodiodes and photomultipliers.
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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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Tarkhov, M., Claudon, J., Poizat, J. P., Korneev, A., Divochiy, A., Minaeva, O., et al. (2008). Ultrafast reset time of superconducting single photon detectors. Appl. Phys. Lett., 92(24), 241112 (1 to 3).
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Okunev, O., Smirnov, K., Chulkova, G., Korneev, A., Lipatov, A., Gol'tsman, G., et al. (2002). Ultrafast NBN hot-electron single-photon detectors for electronic applications. In Abstracts 8-th IUMRS-ICEM.
Abstract: We present a new, simple to manufacture, single-photon detector (SPD), which can work from ultraviolet to near-infrared wavelengths of optical radiation and combines high speed of operation, high quantum efficiency (QE), and very low dark counts. The devices are superconducting and operate at temperature below 5 K. The physics of operation of our SPD is based on formation of a photon-induced resistive hotspot and subsequent appearance of a transient resistive barrier across an ultrathin and submicron-wide superconductor.
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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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Verevkin, A., Zhang, J., Pearlman, A., Slysz, W., Sobolewski, R., Korneev, A., et al. (2004). Ultimate sensitivity of superconducting single-photon detectors in the visible to infrared range.
Abstract: We present our quantum efficiency (QE) and noise equivalent power (NEP) measurements of the meandertype ultrathin NbN superconducting single-photon detector in the visible to infrared radiation range. The nanostructured devices with 3.5-nm film thickness demonstrate QE up to~ 10% at 1.3–1.55 µm wavelength, and up to 20% in the entire visible range. The detectors are sensitive to infrared radiation with the wavelengths down to~ 10 µm. NEP of about 2× 10-18 W/Hz1/2 was obtained at 1.3 µm wavelength. Such high sensitivity together with GHz-range counting speed, make NbN photon counters very promising for efficient, ultrafast quantum communications and another applications. We discuss the origin of dark counts in our devices and their ultimate sensitivity in terms of the resistive fluctuations in our superconducting nanostructured devices.
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Rath, P., Vetter, A., Kovalyuk, V., Ferrari, S., Kahl, O., Nebel, C., et al. (2016). Travelling-wave single-photon detectors integrated with diamond photonic circuits: operation at visible and telecom wavelengths with a timing jitter down to 23 ps. In J. - E. Broquin, & G. N. Conti (Eds.), Integrated Optics: Devices, Mat. Technol. XX (Vol. 9750, pp. 135–142). Spie.
Abstract: We report on the design, fabrication and measurement of travelling-wave superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) integrated with polycrystalline diamond photonic circuits. We analyze their performance both in the near-infrared wavelength regime around 1600 nm and at 765 nm. Near-IR detection is important for compatibility with the telecommunication infrastructure, while operation in the visible wavelength range is relevant for compatibility with the emission line of silicon vacancy centers in diamond which can be used as efficient single-photon sources. Our detectors feature high critical currents (up to 31 μA) and high performance in terms of efficiency (up to 74% at 765 nm), noise-equivalent power (down to 4.4×10-19 W/Hz1/2 at 765 nm) and timing jitter (down to 23 ps).
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Vodolazov, D. Y., Manova, N. N., Korneeva, Y. P., & Korneev, A. A. (2020). Timing jitter in NbN superconducting microstrip single-photon detector. Phys. Rev. Applied, 14(4), 044041 (1 to 8).
Abstract: We experimentally study timing jitter of single-photon detection by NbN superconducting strips with width w ranging from 190 nm to 3μm. We find that timing jitter of both narrow (190 nm) and micron-wide strips is about 40 ps at currents where internal detection efficiency η saturates and it is close to our instrumental jitter. We also calculate intrinsic timing jitter in wide strips using the modified time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equation coupled with a two-temperature model. We find that with increasing width the intrinsic timing jitter increases and the effect is most considerable at currents where a rapid growth of η changes to saturation. We relate it with complicated vortex and antivortex dynamics, which depends on a photon’s absorption site across the strip and its width. The model also predicts that at current close to depairing current the intrinsic timing jitter of a wide strip could be about ℏ/kBTc (Tc is a critical temperature of superconductor), i.e., the same as for a narrow strip.
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