Abstract: Представлены результаты исследований сверхпроводящих однофотонных детекторов, изготовленных из ультратонкой пленки NbN. Развитие технологического процесса изготовления детекторов, а также снижение рабочей температуры до 2 К позволили существенно увеличить квантовую эффективность: для видимого света (λ = 0.56 мкм) она составила 30%–40%, т.е. достигла предела, определяемого коэффициентом поглощения пленки. С ростом длины волны квантовая эффективность экспоненциально падает, составляя ~20% на λ=1.55 мкм и ~0.02% на λ = 5 мкм. При скорости темнового счета ~10-4s-1 экспериментально измеренная эквивалентная мощность шума составила 1.5 × 10-20 Вт/Гц-1/2; в дальнейшем она может быть уменьшена до рекордно низкого значения 5 × 10-21 Вт/Гц-1/2. Временное разрешение детектора равно 30 пс.

Abstract: We demonstrate that our ultrathin, nanometer-width NbN superconducting single-photon detectors are capable of above 1-GHz-frequency, real-time counting of near-infrared photons. The measured system jitter of the detector is below 15 ps.

Abstract: Quantum key distribution (QKD) is the first commercial quantum technology operating at the level of single quanta and is a leading light for quantum-enabled photonic technologies. However, controlling these quantum optical systems in real world environments presents significant challenges. For the first time, we have brought together three key concepts for future QKD systems: a simple high-speed protocol; high performance detection; and integration both, at the component level and for standard fibre network connectivity. The QKD system is capable of continuous and autonomous operation, generating secret keys in real time. Laboratory and field tests were performed and comparisons made with robust InGaAs avalanche photodiodes and superconducting detectors. We report the first real world implementation of a fully functional QKD system over a 43dB-loss (150km) transmission line in the Swisscom fibre optic network where we obtained average real-time distribution rates over 3 hours of 2.5bps.

Abstract: We modeled the response of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors during a photodetection event, taking into consideration only the thermal and electrical properties of a superconducting NbN nanowire on a sapphire substrate. Our calculations suggest that heating which occurs after the formation of a photo-induced resistive barrier is responsible for the generation of a measurable voltage pulse. We compared this numerical result with experimental data of a voltage pulse from a slow device, i.e. large kinetic inductance, and obtained a good fit. Using this electro-thermal model, we estimated the temperature rise and the resistance buildup in the nanowire, and the return current at which the nanowire becomes superconducting again. We also show that the reset time of these photodetectors can be decreased by the addition of a series resistance and provide supporting experimental data. Finally we present preliminary results on a detector latching behavior that can also be explained using the electro-thermal model.

Abstract: Superconducting Single Photon Detectors (SSPD) are now mature enough to provide extremely interesting detector performances in term of sensitivity, speed, and geometry in the visible and near infrared wavelengths. Taking advantage of recent results obtained in the Sinphonia project, the goal of our research is to demonstrate the feasibility of a new family of micro-spectrometers, called SWIFTS (Stationary Wave Integrated Fourier Transform Spectrometer), associated to an array of SSPD, the whole assembly being integrated on a monolithic sapphire substrate coupling the detectors array to a waveguide injecting the light. This unique association will create a major breakthrough in the domain of visible and infrared spectroscopy for all applications where the space and weight of the instrument is limited. SWIFTS is an innovative way to achieve very compact spectro-detectors using nano-detectors coupled to evanescent field of dielectric integrated optics. The system is sensitive to the interferogram inside the dielectric waveguide along the propagation path. Astronomical instruments will be the first application of such SSPD spectrometers. In this paper, we describes in details the fabrication process of our SSPD built at CEA/DRFMC using ultra-thin NbN epitaxial films deposited on different orientations of Sapphire substrates having state of the art superconducting characteristics. Electron beam lithography is routinely used for patterning the devices having line widths below 200 nm and down to 70 nm. An experimental set-up has been built and used to test these SSPD devices and evaluate their photon counting performances. Photon counting performances of our devices have been demonstrated with extremely low dark counts giving excellent signal to noise ratios. The extreme compactness of this concept is interesting for space spectroscopic applications. Some new astronomical applications of such concept are proposed in this paper.