Gol’tsman, G., Korneev, A., Tarkhov, M., Seleznev, V., Divochiy, A., Minaeva, O., et al. (2007). Middle-infrared ultrafast superconducting single photon detector. In 32nd IRMW / 15th ICTE (pp. 115–116).
Abstract: We present the results of the research on quantum efficiency of the ultrathin-film superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPD) in the wavelength rage from 1 mum to 5.7 mum. Reduction of operation temperature to 1.6 K allowed us to measure quantum efficiency of ~1 % at 5.7 mum wavelength with the SSPD made from 4-nm-thick NbN film. In a pursuit of further performance improvement we endeavored SSPD fabricating from 4-nm-thick MoRe film as an alternative material. The MoRe film exhibited transition temperature of 7.7K, critical current density at 4.2 K temperature was 1.1times10 6 A/cm 2 , and diffusivity 1.73 cmVs. The single-photon response was observed with MoRe SSPD at 1.3 mum wavelength with quantum efficiency estimated to be 0.04%.
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Titova, N., Kardakova, A., Tovpeko, N., Ryabchun, S., Mandal, S., Morozov, D., et al. (2017). Superconducting diamond films as perspective material for direct THz detectors. In Proc. 28th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. (82).
Abstract: Superconducting films with a high resistivity in the normal state have established themselves as the best materials for direct THz radiation sensors, such as kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs) [1] and hot electron bolometers (nano-HEBs) [2]. The primary characteristics of the future instrument such as the sensitivity and the response time are determined by the material parameters such as the electron-phonon (e-ph) interaction time, the electron density and the resistivity of the material. For direct detectors, such as KIDs and nano-HEBs, to provide a high sensitivity and low noise one prefer materials with long e-ph relaxation times and low values of the electron density. As a potential material for THz radiation detection we have studied superconducting diamond films. A significant interest to diamond for the development of electronic devices is due to the evolution of its properties with the boron dopant concentration. At a high boron doping concentration, n B ~5·10 20 cm -3 , diamond has been reported to become a superconducting with T c depending on the doping level. Our previous study of energy relaxation in single-crystalline boron-doped diamond films epitaxially grown on a diamond shows a remarkably slow energy-relaxation at low temperatures. The electron-phonon cooling time varies from 400 ns to 700 ns over the temperature range 2.2 K to 1.7 K [3]. In superconducting materials such as Al and TiN, traditionally used in KIDs, the e-ph cooling times at 1.7 K correspond to ~20 ns [4] and ~100 ns [5], correspondingly. Such a noticeable slow e-ph relaxation in boron-doped diamond, in combination with a low value of carrier density (~10 21 cm -3 ) in comparison with typical metals (~10 23 cm -3 ) and a high normal state resistivity (~1500 μΩ·cm) confirms a potential of superconducting diamond for superconducting bolometers and resonator detectors. However, the price and the small substrate growth are of single crystal diamond limit practical applications of homoepitaxial diamond films. As an alternative way with more convenient technology, one can employ heteroepitaxial diamond films grown on large-size Si substrates. Here we report about measurements of e-ph cooling times in superconducting diamond grown on silicon substrate and discuss our expectations about the applicability of boron-doped diamond films to superconducting detectors. Our estimation of limit value of noise-equivalent power (NEP) and the energy resolution of bolometer made from superconducting diamond is order 10 -17 W/Hz 1/2 at 2 K and the energy resolution is of 0.1 eV that corresponds to counting single-photon up to 15 um. The estimation was obtained by using the film thickness of 70 nm and ρ ~ 1500 μΩ·cm, and the planar dimensions that are chosen to couple bolometer with 75 Ω log-spiral antenna. Although the value of NEP is far yet from what might like to have for certain astronomical applications, we believe that it can be improved by a suitable fabrication process. Also the direct detectors, based on superconducting diamond, will offer low noise performance at about 2 K, a temperature provided by inexpensive close-cycle refrigerators, which provides another practical advantage of development and application of these devices. [1] P.K. Day, et. al, Nature, 425, 817, 2003. [2] J. Wei, et al, Nature Nanotech., 3, 496, 2008. [3] A. Kardakova, et al, Phys. Rev. B, 93, 064506, 2016. [4] P. Santhanam and D. Prober, Phys. Rev. B, 29, 3733, 1984 [5] A. Kardakova, et al, Appl. Phys. Lett, vol. 103, p. 252602, 2013.
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Мошкова, М. А., Дивочий, А. В., Морозов, П. В., Золотов, Ф. И., Вахтомин, Ю. Б., & Смирнов, К. В. (2018). Высокоэффективные NBN однофотонные детекторы с разрешением числа фотонов. In Сборн. науч. труд. VII международн. конф. по фотонике и информац. опт. (pp. 400–401).
Abstract: Разработаны и исследованы сверхпроводниковые однофотонные детекторы, способные к разрешению до 3-х фотонов в коротком импульсе излучения и имеющие квантовую эффективность детектирования одиночных фотонов ~60% на длине волны lambda=1.55 мкм. Проведенная модернизация технологии изготовления детекторов, позволила получить приемные устройства с мультифотонной квантовой эффективностью, приближающейся к расчетным значениям.
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Minaeva, O., Fraine, A., Korneev, A., Divochiy, A., Goltsman, G., & Sergienko, A. (2012). High resolution optical time-domain reflectometry using superconducting single-photon detectors. In Frontiers in Opt. 2012/Laser Sci. XXVIII (Fw3a.39). Optical Society of America.
Abstract: We discuss the advantages and limitations of single-photon optical time-domain reflectometry with superconducting single-photon detectors. The higher two-point resolution can be achieved due to superior timing performance of SSPDs in comparison with InGaAs APDs.
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Semenov, A., Richter, H., Hübers, H. - W., Petrenko, D., Tretyakov, I., Ryabchun, S., et al. (2014). Optimization of the intermediate frequency bandwidth in the THz HEB mixers. In Proc. 25th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. (54).
Abstract: We report on the studies of the intermediate frequency (IF) bandwidth of quasi-optically coupled NbN hot-electron bolometer (HEB) mixers which are aimed at the optimization of the mixer performance at terahertz frequencies. Extension of the IF bandwidth due to the contribution of electron diffusion to the heat removal from NbN microbolometers has been already demonstrated for NbN HEBs at subterahertz frequencies. However, reducing the size of the microbolometer causes degradation of the noise temperature. Using in-situ multilayer manufacturing process we succeeded to improve the transparency of the contacts for electrons which go away from microbolometer to the metallic antenna. The improved transparency and hence coupling efficiency counterbalances the noise temperature degradation. HEB mixers were tested in a laboratory heterodyne receiver with a narrow-band cold filter which allowed us to eliminate direct detection. We used a local oscillator with a quantum cascade laser (QCL) at a frequency of 4.745 THz [1] which was developed for the H-Channel of the German Receiver for Astronomy at Terahertz frequencies (GREAT). Both the noise and gain bandwidth were measured in the IF range from 0.5 to 8 GHz using the hot-cold technique and preliminary calibrated IF analyzer with a tunable microwave filter. For optimized HEB geometry we found the noise bandwidth as large as 7 GHz. We compare our results with the conventional and the hot-spot mixer models and show that further extension of the IF bandwidth should be possible via improving the sharpness of the superconducting transition. The cross characterization of the HEB mixer was performed in the test bed of GREAT at the Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie with the same QCL LO and delivered results which were consistent with the laboratory studies.
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