Lobanov, Y., Shcherbatenko, M., Shurakov, A., Rodin, A. V., Klimchuk, A., Nadezhdinsky, A. I., et al. (2014). Heterodyne detection at near-infrared wavelengths with a superconducting NbN hot-electron bolometer mixer. Opt. Lett., 39(6), 1429–1432.
Abstract: We report on the development of a highly sensitive optical receiver for heterodyne IR spectroscopy at the communication wavelength of 1.5 μm (200 THz) by use of a superconducting hot-electron bolometer. The results are important for the resolution of narrow spectral molecular lines in the near-IR range for the study of astronomical objects, as well as for quantum optical tomography and fiber-optic sensing. Receiver configuration as well as fiber-to-detector light coupling designs are discussed. Light absorption of the superconducting detectors was enhanced by nano-optical antennas, which were coupled to optical fibers. An intermediate frequency (IF) bandwidth of about 3 GHz was found in agreement with measurements at 300 GHz, and a noise figure of about 25 dB was obtained that was only 10 dB above the quantum limit.
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Tretyakov, I. V., Finkel, M. I., Ryabchun, S. A., Kardakova, A. I., Seliverstov, S. V., Petrenko, D. V., et al. (2014). Hot-electron bolometer mixers with in situ contacts. Radiophys. Quant. Electron., 56(8-9), 591–598.
Abstract: We report on the latest achievements in the development of superconducting hot-electron bolometer (HEB) mixers for terahertz superheterodyne receivers. We consider application ranges of such receivers and requirements for the basic characteristics of the mixers. Main features of the mixers, such as noise temperature, gain bandwidth, noise bandwidth, and required local-oscillator power, have been improved significantly over the past few years due to intense research work, both in terms of the element fabrication quality and in terms of understanding of the physics of the processes occurring in the HEB mixers. Contacts between the superconducting bridge and the planar antenna play a key role in the mixer operation. Improvement of the quality of the contacts leads simultaneously to a decrease in the noise temperature and an increase in the gain bandwidth of a mixer.
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Glejm, A. V., Anisimov, A. A., Asnis, L. N., Vakhtomin, Y. B., Divochiy, A. V., Egorov, V. I., et al. (2014). Quantum key distribution in an optical fiber at distances of up to 200 km and a bit rate of 180 bit/s. Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Physics, 78(3), 171–175.
Abstract: An experimental demonstration of a subcarrier-wave quantum cryptography system with superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPDs) that distributes a secure key in a single-mode fiber at distance of 25 km with a bit rate of 800 kbit/s, a distance of 100 km with a bit rate of 19 kbit/s, and a distance of 200 km with a bit rate of 0.18 kbit/s is described.
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Lusche, R., Semenov, A., Korneeva, Y., Trifonov, A., Korneev, A., Gol'tsman, G., et al. (2014). Effect of magnetic field on the photon detection in thin superconducting meander structures. Phys. Rev. B, 89(10), 104513 (1 to 7).
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.
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Bennett, D. A., Schmidt, D. R., Swetz, D. S., & Ullom, J. N. (2014). Phase-slip lines as a resistance mechanism in transition-edge sensors. Appl. Phys. Lett., 104, 042602.
Abstract: The fundamental mechanism of resistance in voltage-biased superconducting films is poorly understood despite its importance as the basis of transition-edge sensors (TESs). TESs are utilized in state-of-the-art microbolometers and microcalorimeters covering a wide range of energies and applications. We present a model for the resistance of a TES based on phase-slip lines (PSLs) and compare the model to data. One of the model's predictions, discrete changes in the number of PSLs, is a possible explanation for the observed switching between discrete current states in localized regions of bias.
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