|   | 
Details
   web
Records
Author Milostnaya, I.; Korneev, A.; Tarkhov, M.; Divochiy, A.; Minaeva, O.; Seleznev, V.; Kaurova, N.; Voronov, B.; Okunev, O.; Chulkova, G.; Smirnov, K.; Gol’tsman, G.
Title Superconducting single photon nanowire detectors development for IR and THz applications Type Journal Article
Year 2008 Publication J. Low Temp. Phys. Abbreviated Journal J. Low Temp. Phys.
Volume (down) 151 Issue 1-2 Pages 591-596
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract We present our progress in the development of superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPDs) based on meander-shaped nanowires made from few-nm-thick superconducting films. The SSPDs are operated at a temperature of 2–4.2 K (well below T c ) being biased with a current very close to the nanowire critical current at the operation temperature. To date, the material of choice for SSPDs is niobium nitride (NbN). Developed NbN SSPDs are capable of single photon counting in the range from VIS to mid-IR (up to 6 μm) with a record low dark counts rate and record-high counting rate. The use of a material with a low transition temperature should shift the detectors sensitivity towards longer wavelengths. We present state-of-the art NbN SSPDs as well as the results of our recent approach to expand the developed SSPD technology by the use of superconducting materials with lower T c , such as molybdenum rhenium (MoRe). MoRe SSPDs first were made and tested; a single photon response was obtained.
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 1244
Permanent link to this record
 

 
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 Journal Article
Year 2008 Publication J. Low Temp. Phys. Abbreviated Journal J. Low Temp. Phys.
Volume (down) 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
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Shcherbatenko, M.; Elezov, M.; Manova, N.; Sedykh, K.; Korneev, A.; Korneeva, Y.; Dryazgov, M.; Simonov, N.; Feimov, A.; Goltsman, G.; Sych, D.
Title Single-pixel camera with a large-area microstrip superconducting single photon detector on a multimode fiber Type Journal Article
Year 2021 Publication Appl. Phys. Lett. Abbreviated Journal Appl. Phys. Lett.
Volume (down) 118 Issue 18 Pages 181103
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract High sensitivity imaging at the level of single photons is an invaluable tool in many areas, ranging from microscopy to astronomy. However, development of single-photon sensitive detectors with high spatial resolution is very non-trivial. Here we employ the single-pixel imaging approach and demonstrate a proof-of-principle single-pixel single-photon imaging setup. We overcome the problem of low light gathering efficiency by developing a large-area microstrip superconducting single photon detector coupled to a multi-mode optical fiber interface. We show that the setup operates well in the visible and near infrared spectrum, and is able to capture images at the single-photon level.

We thank Philipp Zolotov and Pavel Morozov for NbN film fabrication, ARC coating, and fiber coupling of the detector. We also thank Swabian Instruments GmbH and Dr. Helmut Fedder personally for the kindly provided experimental equipment (Time Tagger Ultra 8). The work in the part of SNSPD research and development was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research Project No. 18-29-20100. The work in the part of the optical setup and imaging was supported by Russian Foundation for Basic Research Project No. 20-32-51004.
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 0003-6951 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1770
Permanent link to this record
 

 
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 Journal Article
Year 2014 Publication J. Appl. Phys. Abbreviated Journal J. Appl. Phys.
Volume (down) 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
Permanent link to this record
 

 
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 Journal Article
Year 2010 Publication J. Appl. Phys. Abbreviated Journal J. Appl. Phys.
Volume (down) 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
Permanent link to this record
 

 
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 Journal Article
Year 2020 Publication Phys. Rev. B Abbreviated Journal Phys. Rev. B
Volume (down) 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
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Casaburi, A.; Ejrnaes, M.; Quaranta, O.; Gaggero, A.; Mattioli, F.; Leoni, R.; Voronov, B.; Gol'tsman, G.; Lisitskiy, M.; Esposito, E.; Nappi, C.; Cristiano, R.; Pagano, S.
Title Experimental characterization of NbN nanowire optical detectors with parallel stripline configuration Type Conference Article
Year 2008 Publication J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. Abbreviated Journal J. Phys.: Conf. Ser.
Volume (down) 97 Issue Pages 012265 (1 to 6)
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract We have developed a novel geometrical configuration for NbN-based superconducting single photon optical detector (SSPD) that achieves two goals: a much lower intrinsic impedance, and a consequently greater bandwidth, and a much larger signal amplitude compared to the standard meandered configuration. This has been obtained by implementing a properly designed parallel stripline structure where a cascade switching mechanism occurs when one of the striplines is hit by an optical photon. The overall switching occurs synchronously and in a very short time, giving rise to a strong and fast voltage pulse. The SSPD have been realized using state of the art NbN deposition technology and e-beam lithography. The strips are 100 nm wide and 5 μm long and have been realized with 4 nm NbN film on sapphire and Si substrate. We report on experimental characterization of such novel devices. The performances of the proposed novel type of SSPD are compared with standard SSPD design and results in terms of signal amplitude, risetime and effective detection area.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher IOP Publishing Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1742-6596 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference 8th European Conference on Applied Superconductivity (EUCAS 2007)
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1416
Permanent link to this record
 

 
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 Journal Article
Year 2014 Publication Phys. Rev. B Abbreviated Journal Phys. Rev. B
Volume (down) 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
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Kerman, A. J.; Dauler, E. A.; Keicher, W. E.; Yang, J. K. W.; Berggren, K. K.; Gol’tsman, G.; Voronov, B.
Title Kinetic-inductance-limited reset time of superconducting nanowire photon counters Type Journal Article
Year 2006 Publication Appl. Phys. Lett. Abbreviated Journal Appl. Phys. Lett.
Volume (down) 88 Issue 11 Pages 111116 (1 to 3)
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract We investigate the recovery of superconducting NbN-nanowire photon counters after detection of an optical pulse at a wavelength of 1550nm, and present a model that quantitatively accounts for our observations. The reset time is found to be limited by the large kinetic inductance of these nanowires, which forces a tradeoff between counting rate and either detection efficiency or active area. Devices of usable size and high detection efficiency are found to have reset times orders of magnitude longer than their intrinsic photoresponse time.

The authors acknowledge D. Oates and W. Oliver (MIT Lincoln Laboratory), S.W. Nam, A. Miller, and R. Hadfield (NIST) and R. Sobolewski, A. Pearlman, and A. Verevkin (University of Rochester) for helpful discussions and technical assistance. This work made use of MIT’s shared scanning-electron-beam-lithography facility in the Research Laboratory of Electronics. This work is sponsored by the United States Air Force under Air Force Contract No. FA8721-05-C-0002. Opinions, interpretations, recommendations and conclusions are those of the authors and are not necessarily endorsed by the United States Government.
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 0003-6951 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1453
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Sobolewski, Roman; Xu, Ying; Zheng, Xuemei; Williams, Carlo; Zhang, Jin; Verevkin, Aleksandr; Chulkova, Galina; Korneev, Alexander; Lipatov, Andrey; Okunev, Oleg; Smirnov, Konstantin; Gol'tsman, Gregory N.
Title Spectral sensitivity of the NbN single-photon superconducting detector Type Journal Article
Year 2002 Publication IEICE Trans. Electron. Abbreviated Journal IEICE Trans. Electron.
Volume (down) E85-C Issue 3 Pages 797-802
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract We report our studies on the spectral sensitivity of superconducting NbN thin-film single-photon detectors (SPD's) capable of GHz counting rates of visible and near-infrared photons. In particular, it has been shown that a NbN SPD is sensitive to 1.55-µm wavelength radiation and can be used for quantum communication. Our SPD's exhibit experimentally measured intrinsic quantum efficiencies from 20% at 800 nm up to 1% at 1.55-µm wavelength. The devices demonstrate picosecond response time (<100 ps, limited by our readout system) and negligibly low dark counts. Spectral dependencies of photon counting of continuous-wave, 0.4-µm to 3.5-µm radiation, and 0.63-µm, 1.33-µm, and 1.55-µm laser-pulsed radiations are presented for the single-stripe-type and meander-type 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 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1531
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Verevkin, A.; Zhang, J.; Sobolewski, Roman; Lipatov, A.; Okunev, O.; Chulkova, G.; Korneev, A.; Smirnov, K.; Gol'tsman, G. N.; Semenov, A.
Title Detection efficiency of large-active-area NbN single-photon superconducting detectors in the ultraviolet to near-infrared range Type Journal Article
Year 2002 Publication Appl. Phys. Lett. Abbreviated Journal
Volume (down) 80 Issue 25 Pages 4687-4689
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD, QE
Abstract We report our studies on spectral sensitivity of meander-type, superconducting NbN thin-film single-photon detectors (SPDs), characterized by GHz counting rates of visible and near-infrared photons and negligible dark counts. Our SPDs exhibit experimentally determined quantum efficiencies ranging from ∼0.2% at the 1.55 μm wavelength to ∼70% at 0.4 μm. Spectral dependences of the detection efficiency (DE) at the 0.4 to 3.0-μm-wavelength range are presented. The exponential character of the DE dependence on wavelength, as well as its dependence versus bias current, is qualitatively explained in terms of superconducting fluctuations in our ultrathin, submicron-width superconducting stripes. The DE values of large-active-area NbN SPDs in the visible range are high enough for modern quantum communications.
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 331
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Gol’tsman, G. N.; Okunev, O.; Chulkova, G.; Lipatov, A.; Semenov, A.; Smirnov, K.; Voronov, B.; Dzardanov, A.; Williams, C.; Sobolewski, R.
Title Picosecond superconducting single-photon optical detector Type Journal Article
Year 2001 Publication Appl. Phys. Lett. Abbreviated Journal Appl. Phys. Lett.
Volume (down) 79 Issue 6 Pages 705-707
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract We experimentally demonstrate a supercurrent-assisted, hotspot-formation mechanism for ultrafast detection and counting of visible and infrared photons. A photon-induced hotspot leads to a temporary formation of a resistive barrier across the superconducting sensor strip and results in an easily measurable voltage pulse. Subsequent hotspot healing in ∼30 ps time frame, restores the superconductivity (zero-voltage state), and the detector is ready to register another photon. Our device consists of an ultrathin, very narrow NbN strip, maintained at 4.2 K and current-biased close to the critical current. It exhibits an experimentally measured quantum efficiency of ∼20% for 0.81 μm wavelength photons and negligible dark counts.
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 0003-6951 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1543
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Il’in, K. S.; Milostnaya, I. I.; Verevkin, A. A.; Gol’tsman, G. N.; Gershenzon, E. M.; Sobolewski, R.
Title Ultimate quantum efficiency of a superconducting hot-electron photodetector Type Journal Article
Year 1998 Publication Appl. Phys. Lett. Abbreviated Journal Appl. Phys. Lett.
Volume (down) 73 Issue 26 Pages 3938-3940
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract The quantum efficiency and current and voltage responsivities of fast hot-electron photodetectors, fabricated from superconducting NbN thin films and biased in the resistive state, have been shown to reach values of 340, 220 A/W, and 4×104 V/W,

respectively, for infrared radiation with a wavelength of 0.79 μm. The characteristics of the photodetectors are presented within the general model, based on relaxation processes in the nonequilibrium electron heating of a superconducting thin film. The observed, very high efficiency and sensitivity of the superconductor absorbing the photon are explained by the high multiplication rate of quasiparticles during the avalanche breaking of Cooper pairs.
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 0003-6951 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1579
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Korneev, A.; Lipatov, A.; Okunev, O.; Chulkova, G.; Smirnov, K.; Gol’tsman, G.; Zhang, J.; Slysz, W.; Verevkin, A.; Sobolewski, R.
Title GHz counting rate NbN single-photon detector for IR diagnostics of VLSI CMOS circuits Type Journal Article
Year 2003 Publication Microelectronic Engineering Abbreviated Journal Microelectronic Engineering
Volume (down) 69 Issue 2-4 Pages 274-278
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD, applications
Abstract We present a new, simple to manufacture superconducting single-photon detector operational in the range from ultraviolet to mid-infrared radiation wavelengths. The detector combines GHz counting rate, high quantum efficiency and very low level of dark (false) counts. At 1.3–1.5 μm wavelength range our detector exhibits a quantum efficiency of 5–10%. The detector photoresponse voltage pulse duration was measured to be about 150 ps with jitter of 35 ps and both of them were limited mostly by our measurement equipment. In terms of quantum efficiency, dark counts level, speed of operation the detector surpasses all semiconductor counterparts and was successfully applied for CMOS integrated circuits diagnostics.
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 0167-9317 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1511
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Zhang, J.; Słysz, W.; Pearlman, A.; Verevkin, A.; Sobolewski, R.; Okunev, O.; Chulkova, G.; Gol’tsman, G. N.
Title Time delay of resistive-state formation in superconducting stripes excited by single optical photons Type Journal Article
Year 2003 Publication Phys. Rev. B Abbreviated Journal Phys. Rev. B
Volume (down) 67 Issue 13 Pages 132508 (1 to 4)
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract We have observed a 65(±5)-ps time delay in the onset of a resistive-state formation in 10-nm-thick, 130-nm-wide NbN superconducting stripes exposed to single photons. The delay in the photoresponse decreased to zero when the stripe was irradiated by multi-photon (classical) optical pulses. Our NbN structures were kept at 4.2 K, well below the material’s critical temperature, and were illuminated by 100-fs-wide optical pulses. The time-delay phenomenon has been explained within the framework of a model based on photon-induced generation of a hotspot in the superconducting stripe and subsequent, supercurrent-assisted, resistive-state formation across the entire stripe cross section. The measured time delays in both the single-photon and two-photon detection regimes agree well with theoretical predictions of the resistive-state dynamics in one-dimensional superconducting stripes.
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 0163-1829 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1519
Permanent link to this record