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Author Lobanov, Y.; Shcherbatenko, M.; Semenov, A.; Kovalyuk, V.; Kahl, O.; Ferrari, S.; Korneev, A.; Ozhegov, R.; Kaurova, N.; Voronov, B. M.; Pernice, W. H. P.; Gol'tsman, G. N.
Title Superconducting nanowire single photon detector for coherent detection of weak signals Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2017 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
Volume 27 Issue 4 Pages 1-5
Keywords NbN SSPD mixer, SNSPD, nanophotonic waveguide
Abstract Traditional photon detectors are operated in the direct detection mode, counting incident photons with a known quantum efficiency. Here, we have investigated a superconducting nanowire single photon detector (SNSPD) operated as a photon counting mixer at telecommunication wavelength around 1.5 μm. This regime of operation combines excellent sensitivity of a photon counting detector with excellent spectral resolution given by the heterodyne technique. Advantageously, we have found that low local oscillator (LO) power of the order of hundreds of femtowatts to a few picowatts is sufficient for clear observation of the incident test signal with the sensitivity approaching the quantum limit. With further optimization, the required LO power could be significantly reduced, which is promising for many practical applications, such as the development of receiver matrices or recording ultralow signals at a level of less-than-one-photon per second. In addition to a traditional NbN-based SNSPD operated with normal incidence coupling, we also use detectors with a travelling wave geometry, where a NbN nanowire is placed on the top of a Si 3 N 4 nanophotonic waveguide. This approach is fully scalable and a large number of devices could be integrated on a single chip.
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 1206
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Author Shcherbatenko, M.; Lobanov, Y.; Semenov, A.; Kovalyuk, V.; Korneev, A.; Ozhegov, R.; Kazakov, A.; Voronov, B.M.; Goltsman, G.N.
Title Potential of a superconducting photon counter for heterodyne detection at the telecommunication wavelength Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2016 Publication Opt. Express Abbreviated Journal Opt. Express
Volume 24 Issue 26 Pages 30474-30484
Keywords NbN SSPD mixer, SNSPD
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.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1094-4087 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:28059394 Approved no
Call Number Serial 1207
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Author Lusche, R.; Semenov, A.; Ilin, K.; Siegel, M.; Korneeva, Y.; Trifonov, A.; Korneev, A.; Goltsman, G.; Vodolazov, D.; Hübers, H.-W.
Title Effect of the wire width on the intrinsic detection efficiency of superconducting-nanowire single-photon detectors Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2014 Publication J. Appl. Phys. Abbreviated Journal J. Appl. Phys.
Volume 116 Issue 4 Pages 043906 (1 to 9)
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD, TaN
Abstract A thorough spectral study of the intrinsic single-photon detection efficiency in superconducting TaN and NbN nanowires with different widths has been performed. The experiment shows that the cut-off of the intrinsic detection efficiency at near-infrared wavelengths is most likely controlled by the local suppression of the barrier for vortex nucleation around the absorption site. Beyond the cut-off quasi-particle diffusion in combination with spontaneous, thermally activated vortex crossing explains the detection process. For both materials, the reciprocal cut-off wavelength scales linearly with the wire width where the scaling factor agrees with the hot-spot detection model.
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 0021-8979 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1357
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Author Zolotov, P. I.; Semenov, A. V.; Divochiy, A. V.; Goltsman, G. N.; Romanov, N. R.; Klapwijk, T. M.
Title Dependence of photon detection efficiency on normal-state sheet resistance in marginally superconducting films of NbN Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2021 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
Volume 31 Issue 5 Pages 1-5
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract We present an extensive set of data on nanowire-type superconducting single-photon detectors based on niobium-nitride (NbN) to establish the empirical correlation between performance and the normal-state resistance per square. We focus, in particular, on the bias current, compared to the expected depairing current, needed to achieve a near-unity detection efficiency for photon detection. The data are discussed within the context of a model in which the photon energy triggers the movement of vortices i.e. superconducting dissipation, followed by thermal runaway. Since the model is based on the non-equilibrium theory for conventional superconductors deviations may occur, because the efficient regime is found when NbN acts as a marginal superconductor in which long-range phase coherence is frustrated.
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 1222
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Author Zolotov, P.; Semenov, A.; Divochiy, A.; Goltsman, G.
Title A comparison of VN and NbN thin films towards optimal SNSPD efficiency Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2021 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
Volume 31 Issue 5 Pages 1-4
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD, WSi
Abstract Based on early phenomenological ideas about the operation of superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPD or SNSPD), it was expected that materials with a lower superconducting gap should perform better in the IR range. The plausibility of this concept could be checked using two popular SSPD materials – NbN and WSi films. However, these materials differ strongly in crystallographic structure (polycrystalline B1 versus amorphous), which makes their dependence on disorder different. In our work we present a study of the single-photon response of SSPDs made from two disordered B1 structure superconductors – vanadium nitride and niobium nitride thin films. We compare the intrinsic efficiency of devices made from films with different sheet resistance values. While both materials have a polycrystalline structure and comparable diffusion coefficient values, VN films show metallic behavior over a wide range of sheet resistance, in contrast to NbN films with an insulator-like temperature dependence of resistivity, which may be partially due to enhanced Coulomb interaction, leading to different starting points for the normal electron density of states. The results show that even though VN devices are more promising in terms of theoretical predictions, their optimal performance was not reached due to lower values of sheet resistance.
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 1223
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Author Baeva, E. M.; Sidorova, M. V.; Korneev, A. A.; Smirnov, K. V.; Divochy, A. V.; Morozov, P. V.; Zolotov, P. I.; Vakhtomin, Y. B.; Semenov, A. V.; Klapwijk, T. M.; Khrapai, V. S.; Goltsman, G. N.
Title Thermal properties of NbN single-photon detectors Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2018 Publication Phys. Rev. Applied Abbreviated Journal Phys. Rev. Applied
Volume 10 Issue 6 Pages 064063 (1 to 8)
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract We investigate thermal properties of a NbN single-photon detector capable of unit internal detection efficiency. Using an independent calibration of the coupling losses, we determine the absolute optical power absorbed by the NbN film and, via resistive superconductor thermometry, the temperature dependence of the thermal resistance Z(T) of the NbN film. In principle, this approach permits simultaneous measurement of the electron-phonon and phonon-escape contributions to the energy relaxation, which in our case is ambiguous because of the similar temperature dependencies. We analyze Z(T) with a two-temperature model and impose an upper bound on the ratio of electron and phonon heat capacities in NbN, which is surprisingly close to a recent theoretical lower bound for the same quantity in similar devices.
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 2331-7019 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1226
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Author Smirnov, K.; Divochiy, A.; Vakhtomin, Y.; Morozov, P.; Zolotov, P.; Antipov, A.; Seleznev, V.
Title NbN single-photon detectors with saturated dependence of quantum efficiency Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2018 Publication Supercond. Sci. Technol. Abbreviated Journal Supercond. Sci. Technol.
Volume 31 Issue 3 Pages 035011 (1 to 8)
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD
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.
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 0953-2048 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1232
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Author Sidorova, M.; Semenov, Alexej D.; Hübers, H.-W.; Ilin, K.; Siegel, M.; Charaev, I.; Moshkova, M.; Kaurova, N.; Goltsman, G. N.; Zhang, X.; Schilling, A.
Title Electron energy relaxation in disordered superconducting NbN films Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2020 Publication Phys. Rev. B Abbreviated Journal Phys. Rev. B
Volume 102 Issue 5 Pages 054501 (1 to 15)
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD, HEB, bandwidth, relaxation time
Abstract We report on the inelastic-scattering rate of electrons on phonons and relaxation of electron energy studied by means of magnetoconductance, and photoresponse, respectively, in a series of strongly disordered superconducting NbN films. The studied films with thicknesses in the range from 3 to 33 nm are characterized by different Ioffe-Regel parameters but an almost constant product qTl (qT is the wave vector of thermal phonons and l is the elastic mean free path of electrons). In the temperature range 14–30 K, the electron-phonon scattering rates obey temperature dependencies close to the power law 1/τe−ph∼Tn with the exponents n≈3.2–3.8. We found that in this temperature range τe−ph and n of studied films vary weakly with the thickness and square resistance. At 10 K electron-phonon scattering times are in the range 11.9–17.5 ps. The data extracted from magnetoconductance measurements were used to describe the experimental photoresponse with the two-temperature model. For thick films, the photoresponse is reasonably well described without fitting parameters, however, for thinner films, the fit requires a smaller heat capacity of phonons. We attribute this finding to the reduced density of phonon states in thin films at low temperatures. We also show that the estimated Debye temperature in the studied NbN films is noticeably smaller than in bulk material.
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 2469-9950 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1266
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Author Korneeva, Y. P.; Vodolazov, D. Y.; Semenov, A. V.; Florya, I. N.; Simonov, N.; Baeva, E.; Korneev, A. A.; Goltsman, G. N.; Klapwijk, T. M.
Title Optical single-photon detection in micrometer-scale NbN bridges Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2018 Publication Phys. Rev. Applied Abbreviated Journal Phys. Rev. Applied
Volume 9 Issue 6 Pages 064037 (1 to 13)
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract We demonstrate experimentally that single-photon detection can be achieved in micrometer-wide NbN bridges, with widths ranging from 0.53 to 5.15  μm and for photon wavelengths of 408 to 1550 nm. The microbridges are biased with a dc current close to the experimental critical current, which is estimated to be about 50% of the theoretically expected depairing current. These results offer an alternative to the standard superconducting single-photon detectors, based on nanometer-scale nanowires implemented in a long meandering structure. The results are consistent with improved theoretical modeling based on the theory of nonequilibrium superconductivity, including the vortex-assisted mechanism of initial dissipation.
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 2331-7019 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1303
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Author Korneeva, Y.; Sidorova, M.; Semenov, A.; Krasnosvobodtsev, S.; Mitsen, K.; Korneev, A.; Chulkova, G.; Goltsman, G.
Title Comparison of hot-spot formation in NbC and NbN single-photon detectors Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2016 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
Volume 26 Issue 3 Pages 1-4
Keywords NbC, NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract We report an experimental investigation of the hot-spot evolution in superconducting single-photon detectors made of disordered superconducting materials with different diffusivity and energy downconversion time values, i.e., 33-nm-thick NbN and 23-nm-thick NbC films. We have demonstrated that, in NbC film, only 405-nm photons produce sufficiently large hot spot to trigger a single-photon response. The dependence of detection efficiency on bias current for 405-nm photons in NbC is similar to that for 3400-nm photons in NbN. In NbC, large diffusivity and downconversion time result in 1-D critical current suppression profile compared with the usual 2-D profile in NbN.
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 1348
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Author Lusche, R.; Semenov, A.; Korneeva, Y.; Trifonov, A.; Korneev, A.; Gol'tsman, G.; Hübers, H.-W.
Title Effect of magnetic field on the photon detection in thin superconducting meander structures Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2014 Publication Phys. Rev. B Abbreviated Journal Phys. Rev. B
Volume 89 Issue 10 Pages 104513 (1 to 7)
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract We have studied the influence of an externally applied magnetic field on the photon and dark count rates of meander-type niobium nitride superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors. Measurements have been performed at a temperature of 4.2 K, and magnetic fields up to 250 mT have been applied perpendicularly to the meander plane. While photon count rates are field independent at weak applied fields, they show a strong dependence at fields starting from approximately ±25 mT. This behavior, as well as the magnetic field dependence of the dark count rates, is in good agreement with the recent theoretical model of vortex-assisted photon detection and spontaneous vortex crossing in narrow superconducting lines. However, the local reduction of the superconducting free energy due to photon absorption, which is the fitting parameter in the model, increases much slower with the photon energy than the model predicts. Furthermore, changes in the free-energy during photon counts and dark counts depend differently on the current that flows through the meander. This indicates that photon counts and dark counts occur in different parts of the meander.
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 1098-0121 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1367
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Author Sclafani, M.; Marksteiner, M.; Keir, F. M. L.; Divochiy, A.; Korneev, A.; Semenov, A.; Gol'tsman, G.; Arndt, M.
Title Sensitivity of a superconducting nanowire detector for single ions at low energy Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2012 Publication Nanotechnol. Abbreviated Journal Nanotechnol.
Volume 23 Issue 6 Pages 065501 (1 to 5)
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD, superconducting single ion detector, SSID, SNSID
Abstract We report on the characterization of a superconducting nanowire detector for ions at low kinetic energies. We measure the absolute single-particle detection efficiency eta and trace its increase with energy up to eta = 100%. We discuss the influence of noble gas adsorbates on the cryogenic surface and analyze their relevance for the detection of slow massive particles. We apply a recent model for the hot-spot formation to the incidence of atomic ions at energies between 0.2 and 1 keV. We suggest how the differences observed for photons and atoms or molecules can be related to the surface condition of the detector and we propose that the restoration of proper surface conditions may open a new avenue for SSPD-based optical spectroscopy on molecules and nanoparticles.
Address Vienna Center for Quantum Science and Technology, Faculty of Physics, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0957-4484 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:22248823 Approved no
Call Number Serial 1380
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Author Maingault, L.; Tarkhov, M.; Florya, I.; Semenov, A.; Espiau de Lamaëstre, R.; Cavalier, P.; Gol’tsman, G.; Poizat, J.-P.; Villégier, J.-C.
Title Spectral dependency of superconducting single photon detectors Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2010 Publication J. Appl. Phys. Abbreviated Journal J. Appl. Phys.
Volume 107 Issue 11 Pages 116103 (1 to 3)
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract We investigate the effect of varying both incoming optical wavelength and width of NbN nanowires on the superconducting single photon detectors (SSPD) detection efficiency. The SSPD are current biased close to critical value and temperature fixed at 4.2 K, far from transition. The experimental results are found to verify with a good accuracy predictions based on the “hot spot model,” whose size scales with the absorbed photon energy. With larger optical power inducing multiphoton detection regime, the same scaling law remains valid, up to the three-photon regime. We demonstrate the validity of applying a limited number of measurements and using such a simple model to reasonably predict any SSPD behavior among a collection of nanowire device widths at different photon wavelengths. These results set the basis for designing efficient single photon detectors operating in the infrared (2–5 μm range).

This work was supported by European projects FP6 STREP “SINPHONIA” (Contract No. NMP4-CT-2005-16433) and IP “QAP” (Contract No. 15848).
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 0021-8979 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1392
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Author de Lara, D. Perez; Ejrnaes, M.; Casaburi, A.; Lisitskiy, M.; Cristiano, R.; Pagano, S.; Gaggero, A.; Leoni, R.; Golt’sman, G.; Voronov, B.
Title Feasibility investigation of NbN nanowires as detector in time-of-flight mass spectrometers for macromolecules of interest in biology (proteins) Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2008 Publication J. Low Temp. Phys. Abbreviated Journal J. Low Temp. Phys.
Volume 151 Issue 3-4 Pages 771-776
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD, nanowires
Abstract We are investigating the possibility of using NbN nanowires as detectors in time-of-flight mass spectrometers for investigation of macromolecules of interest in biology (proteins). NbN nanowires could overcome the two major drawbacks encountered so far by cryogenic detectors, namely the low working temperature in the mK region and the slow temporal response. In fact, NbN nanowires can work at 5 K and the response time is at least a factor 10–100 better than that of other cryogenic detectors. We present a feasibility study based on a numerical code to calculate the response of a NbN nanowire. The parameter space is investigated at different energies from IR to macromolecules (i.e. from eV to keV) in order to understand if larger value of film thickness and width can be used for the keV energy region. We also present preliminary experimental results of irradiation with X-ray photons of NbN to simulate the effect of macromolecules of the same energy.
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 0022-2291 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1410
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Author Słysz, W.; Wegrzecki, M.; Bar, J.; Grabiec, P.; Górska, M.; Zwiller, V.; Latta, C.; Böhi, P.; Pearlman, A.J.; Cross, A.S.; Pan, D.; Kitaygorsky, J.; Komissarov, I.; Verevkin, A.; Milostnaya, I.; Korneev, A.; Minayeva, O.; Chulkova, G.; Smirnov, K.; Voronov, B.; Gol’tsman, G.N.; Sobolewski, R.
Title Fibre-coupled, single photon detector based on NbN superconducting nanostructures for quantum communications Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2007 Publication J. Modern Opt. Abbreviated Journal J. Modern Opt.
Volume 54 Issue 2-3 Pages 315-326
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract We present a novel, two-channel, single photon receiver based on two fibre-coupled, NbN, superconducting, single photon detectors (SSPDs). The SSPDs are nanostructured superconducting meanders and are known for ultrafast and efficient detection of visible-to-infrared photons. Coupling between the NbN detector and optical fibre was achieved using a micromechanical photoresist ring placed directly over the SSPD, holding the fibre in place. With this arrangement, we obtained coupling efficiencies up to ∼30%. Our experimental results showed that the best receiver had a near-infrared system quantum efficiency of 0.33% at 4.2 K. The quantum efficiency increased exponentially with the photon energy increase, reaching a few percent level for visible-light photons. The photoresponse pulses of our devices were limited by the meander high kinetic inductance and had the rise and fall times of approximately 250 ps and 5 ns, respectively. The receiver's timing jitter was in the 37 to 58 ps range, approximately 2 to 3 times larger than in our older free-space-coupled SSPDs. We stipulate that this timing jitter is in part due to optical fibre properties. Besides quantum communications, the two-detector arrangement should also find applications in quantum correlation experiments.
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 0950-0340 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1434
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