Goltsman, G. N., Shcherbatenko, M. L., Lobanov, Y. V., Kovalyuk, V. V., Kahl, O., Ferrari, S., et al. (2016). Superconducting nanowire single photon detector for coherent detection of weak optical signals. In LPHYS'16 (pp. 1–2).
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.
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Fiore, A., Marsili, F., Bitauld, D., Gaggero, A., Leoni, R., Mattioli, F., et al. (2009). Counting photons using a nanonetwork of superconducting wires. In M. Cheng (Ed.), Nano-Net (pp. 120–122). Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
Abstract: We show how the parallel connection of photo-sensitive superconducting nanowires can be used to count the number of photons in an optical pulse, down to the single-photon level. Using this principle we demonstrate photon-number resolving detectors with unprecedented sensitivity and speed at telecommunication wavelengths.
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Симонов, Н. О., Флоря, И. Н., Корнеева, Ю. П., Корнеев, А. А., & Гольцман, Г. Н. (2018). Однофотонный отклик в тонких сверхпроводящих MoNx пленках. In Сборн. науч. труд. VII международн. конф. по фотонике и информац. опт. (pp. 408–409).
Abstract: Продемонстрирован однофотонный отклик, при токе близком к критическому, в MoNx сверхпроводящих полосках шириной 70-104 нм. MoNx детекторы, имеющие коэффициент диффузии D≈0.32 см2/с и время электрон-фононного взаимодействия ηe-ph≈300 пс, достигают квантовой эффективности QE≈20% на длине волны λ=1550 нм. Возможность реализации однофотонного детектора в данном материале, подтверждает существующую теорию вихревого механизма возникновения фотоотклика в узких сверхпроводящих полосках.
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Золотов, Ф. И., Дивочий, А. В., Вахтомин, Ю. Б., Пентин, И. В., Морозов, П. В., Селезнев, В. А., et al. (2018). Применение тонких сверхпроводниковых пленок нитрида ванадия для изготовления счетчиков одиночных ИК-фотонов. In Сборн. науч. труд. VII международн. конф. по фотонике и информац. опт. (pp. 60–61).
Abstract: Получены первые результаты по применению сверхпроводниковых пленок нитрида ванадия (VN) для детекторов одиночных фотонов ИК-диапазона. Изучение сверхпроводниковых однофотонных детекторов (SSPD), изготовленных на основе ультратонких (~5 нм) пленок VN, показало возможность создания устройств с близкой к насыщению зависимостью квантовой эффективности от тока смещения детекторов в телекоммуникационном диапазоне длин волн. Также нами были исследованы кинетическая индуктивность изготовленных структур с различной длиной сверхпроводниковой полоски и времена релаксации электронов в тонких сверхпроводниковых пленках VN.
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Zolotov, P., Divochiy, A., Korneeva, Y., Vakhtomin, Y., Seleznev, V., & Smirnov, K. (2015). Capability investigation of superconducting single-photon detectors, optimized for 800–1200 nm spectrum range.
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Zolotov, P., Vakhtomin, Y., Divochiy, A., Seleznev, V., Morozov, P., & Smirnov, K. (2013). High-efficiency single-photon detectors based on NbN films.
Abstract: We present our resent results in development and testing of Superconducting Single-Photon Detectors (SSPD) with detection efficiencies greater than 85%. High values of obtained results are assigned to proposed design of the detector with integrated resonator structure, including two-layer optical cavity and anti-reflective coating (ARC).
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Zolotov, P., Vakhtomin, Y., Divochiy, A., Morozov, P., Seleznev, V., & Smirnov, K. (2017). Development of fast and high-effective single-photon detector for spectrum range up to 2.3 μm. In Proc. SPBOPEN (pp. 439–440).
Abstract: We present the results of development and testing of the single-photon-counting system operating in the wide spectrum rane up to 2.3 mcm. We managed to increase system detection efficiency up to 60% in the range of 1.7-2.3 mcm optimisation of the fabrication methods of superconducting single-photon detectors and application of the single-mode fiber with enlarged core diameter.
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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.
Abstract: By adopting a travelling-wave geometry approach, integrated superconductor- nanophotonic devices were fabricated. The architecture consists of a superconducting NbN- nanowire atop of a silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ) nanophotonic waveguide. NbN-nanowire was operated as a single-photon counting detector, with up to 92% on-chip detection efficiency (OCDE), in the coherent mode, serving as a highly sensitive IR heterodyne mixer with spectral resolution (f/df) greater than 10^6 in C-band at 1550 nm wavelength.
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Goltsman, G. (2019). Quantum-photonic integrated circuits. In Proc. IWQO (pp. 22–23).
Abstract: We show the design, a history of development as well as the most successful and promising approaches for QPICs realization based on hybrid nanophotonic-superconducting devices, where one of the key elements of such a circuit is a waveguide integrated superconducting single-photon detector (WSSPD). The potential of integration with fluorescent molecules is discussed also.
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Korneeva, Y. P., Vodolazov, D. Y., Semenov, A. V., Florya, I. N., Simonov, N., Baeva, E., et al. (2018). Optical single photon detection in micron-scaled NbN bridges. arXiv:1802.02881v1 [cond-mat.supr-con].
Abstract: We demonstrate experimentally that single photon detection can be achieved in micron-wide NbN bridges, with widths ranging from 0.53 μm to 5.15 μm and for photon-wavelengths from 408 nm 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 (SSPDs), based on nanometer scale nanowires implemented in a long meandering structure. The results are consistent with improved theoretical modelling based on the theory of non-equilibrium superconductivity including the vortex-assisted mechanism of initial dissipation.
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