| Records |
| Author |
Okunev, O.; Chulkova, G.; Milostnaya, I.; Antipov, A.; Smirnov, K.; Morozov, D.; Korneev, A.; Voronov, B.; Gol’tsman, G.; Slysz, W.; Wegrzecki, M.; Bar, J.; Grabiec, P.; Górska, M.; Pearlman, A.; Cross, A.; Kitaygorsky, J.; Sobolewski, R. |
| Title |
Registration of infrared single photons by a two-channel receiver based on fiber-coupled superconducting single-photon detectors |
Type |
Conference Article |
| Year |
2008 |
Publication |
Proc. SPIE |
Abbreviated Journal |
Proc. SPIE |
| Volume |
7009 |
Issue |
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Pages |
70090V (1 to 8) |
Keywords  |
SSPD, SNSPD, single-photon detectors, superconductors, superconducting nanost |
| Abstract |
Single-photon detectors (SPDs) are the foundation of all quantum communications (QC) protocols. Among different classes of SPDs currently studied, NbN superconducting SPDs (SSPDs) are established as the best devices for ultrafast counting of single photons in the infrared (IR) wavelength range. The SSPDs are nanostructured, 100 μm2 in total area, superconducting meanders, patterned by electron lithography in ultra-thin NbN films. Their operation has been explained within a phenomenological hot-electron photoresponse model. We present the design and performance of a novel, two-channel SPD receiver, based on two fiber-coupled NbN SSPDs. The receivers have been developed for fiber-based QC systems, operational at 1.3 μm and 1.55 μm telecommunication wavelengths. They operate in the temperature range from 4.2 K to 2 K, in which the NbN SSPDs exhibit their best performance. The receiver unit has been designed as a cryostat insert, placed inside a standard liquid-heliumstorage dewar. The input of the receiver consists of a pair of single-mode optical fibers, equipped with the standard FC connectors and kept at room temperature. Coupling between the SSPD and the fiber is achieved using a specially designed, precise micromechanical holder that places the fiber directly on top of the SSPD nanostructure. Our receivers achieve the quantum efficiency of up to 7% for near-IR photons, with the coupling efficiency of about 30%. The response time was measured to be < 1.5 ns and it was limited by our read-out electronics. The jitter of fiber-coupled SSPDs is < 35 ps and their dark-count rate is below 1s-1. The presented performance parameters show that our single-photon receivers are fully applicable for quantum correlation-type QC systems, including practical quantum cryptography. |
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SPIE |
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Editor |
Sukhoivanov, I.A.; Svich, V.A.; Shmaliy, Y.S. |
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no |
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1413 |
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| Author |
Milostnaya, I.; Korneev, A.; Minaeva, O.; Rubtsova, I.; Slepneva, S.; Seleznev, V.; Chulkova, G.; Okunev, O.; Smirnov, K.; Voronov, B.; Gol’tsman, G.; Slysz, W.; Kitaygorsky, J.; Cross, A.; Pearlman, A.; Sobolewski, R. |
| Title |
Superconducting nanostructured detectors capable of single photon counting of mid-infrared optical radiation |
Type |
Conference Article |
| Year |
2005 |
Publication |
Proc. SPIE |
Abbreviated Journal |
Proc. SPIE |
| Volume |
5957 |
Issue |
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Pages |
59570A (1 to 9) |
| Keywords |
SSPD, SNSPD, single-photon detectors, superconductors, superconducting |
| Abstract |
We report on our progress in research and development of ultrafast superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPDs) based on ultrathin NbN nanostructures. Our SSPDs were made of the 4-nm-thick NbN films with Tc 11 K, patterned as meander-shaped, 100-nm-wide strips, and covering an area of 10×10 μm2. The detectors exploit a combined detection mechanism, where upon a single-photon absorption, a hotspot of excited electrons and redistribution of the biasing supercurrent, jointly produce a picosecond voltage transient signal across the superconducting nanostripe. The SSPDs are typically operated at 4.2 K, but their sensitivity in the infrared radiation range can be significantly improved by lowering the operating temperature from 4.2 K to 2 K. When operated at 2 K, the SSPD quantum efficiency (QE) for visible light photons reaches 30-40%, which is the saturation value limited by the optical absorption of our 4-nm-thick NbN film. With the wavelength increase of the incident photons,the QE of SSPDs decreases significantly, but even at the wavelength of 6 μm, the detector is able to count single photons and exhibits QE of about 10-2 %. The dark (false) count rate at 2 K is as low as 2x10-4 s,-1 which makes our detector essentially a background-limited sensor. The very low dark-count rate results in a noise equivalent power (NEP) below 10-18 WHz-1/2 for the mid-infrared range (6 μm). Further improvement of the SSPD performance in the mid-infrared range can be obtained by substituting NbN for another, lower-Tc materials with a narrow superconducting gap and low quasiparticles diffusivity. The use of such superconductors should shift the cutoff wavelength below 10 μm. |
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SPIE |
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Editor |
Rogalski, A.; Dereniak, E.L.; Sizov, F.F. |
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Infrared Photoelectronics |
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1458 |
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Slysz, W.; Wegrzecki, M.; Bar, J.; Grabiec, P.; Górska, M.; Latta, C.; Zwiller, V.; Pearlman, A.; Cross, A.; Korneev, A.; Kouminov, P.; Smirnov, K.; Voronov, B.; Gol’tsman, G.; Verevkin, A.; Currie, M.; Sobolewski, R. |
| Title |
Fiber-coupled quantum-communications receiver based on two NbN superconducting single-photon detectors |
Type |
Conference Article |
| Year |
2005 |
Publication |
Proc. SPIE |
Abbreviated Journal |
Proc. SPIE |
| Volume |
5957 |
Issue |
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Pages |
59571K (1 to 10) |
| Keywords |
SSPD, SNSPD, single-photon detectors, quantum communication, quantum cryptography, superconductors, infrared optical detectors |
| Abstract |
We present the design and performance of a novel, two-channel single-photon receiver, based on two fiber-coupled NbN superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPDs). The SSPDs are nanostructured superconducting meanders covering an area of 100 μm2 and are known for ultrafast and efficient counting of single, visible-to-infrared photons. Their operation has been explained within a phenomenological hot-electron photoresponse model. Our receiver is intended for fiber-based quantum cryptography and communication systems, operational at near-infrared (NIR) telecommunication wavelengths, λ = 1.3 μm and λ = 1.55 μm. Coupling between the NbN detector and a single-mode optical fiber was achieved using a specially designed, micromechanical photoresist ring, positioned directly over the SSPD active area. The positioning accuracy of the ring was below 1 μm. The receiver with SSPDs was placed (immersed) in a standard liquid-helium transport Dewar and kept without interruption for over two months at 4.2 K. At the same time, the optical fiber inputs and electrical outputs were kept at room temperature. Our best system reached a system quantum efficiency of up to 0.3 % in the NIR radiation range, with the detector coupling efficiency of about 30 %. The response time was measured to be about 250 ps and was limited by our read-out electronics. The measured jitter was close to 35 ps. The presented performance parameters show that our NIR single photon detectors are suitable for practical quantum cryptography and for applications in quantum-correlation experiments. |
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SPIE |
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Editor |
Rogalski, A.; Dereniak, E.L.; Sizov, F.F. |
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Infrared Photoelectronics |
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Serial |
1459 |
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Gol'tsman, G.; Minaeva, O.; Korneev, A.; Tarkhov, M.; Rubtsova, I.; Divochiy, A.; Milostnaya, I.; Chulkova, G.; Kaurova, N.; Voronov, B.; Pan, D.; Kitaygorsky, J.; Cross, A.; Pearlman, A.; Komissarov, I.; Slysz, W.; Wegrzecki, M.; Grabiec, P.; Sobolewski, R. |
| Title |
Middle-infrared to visible-light ultrafast superconducting single-photon detectors |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2007 |
Publication |
IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. |
Abbreviated Journal |
IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. |
| Volume |
17 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
246-251 |
| Keywords |
SSPD, SNSPD |
| Abstract |
We present an overview of the state-of-the-art of NbN superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPDs). Our devices exhibit quantum efficiency (QE) of up to 30% in near-infrared wavelength and 0.4% at 5 mum, with a dark-count rate that can be as low as 10 -4 s -1 . The SSPD structures integrated with lambda/4 microcavities achieve a QE of 60% at telecommunication, 1550-nm wavelength. We have also developed a new generation of SSPDs that possess the QE of large-active-area devices, but, simultaneously, are characterized by low kinetic inductance that allows achieving short response times and the GHz-counting rate with picosecond timing jitter. The improvements presented in the SSPD development, such as fiber-coupled SSPDs, make our detectors most attractive for high-speed quantum communications and quantum computing. |
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1051-8223 |
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no |
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431 |
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Jukna, A.; Kitaygorsky, J.; Pan, D.; Cross, A.; Perlman, A.; Komissarov, I.; Sobolewski, R.; Okunev, O.; Smirnov, K.; Korneev, A.; Chulkova, G.; Milostnaya, I.; Voronov, B.; Gol'tsman, G. |
| Title |
Dynamics of hotspot formation in nanostructured superconducting stripes excited with single photons |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2008 |
Publication |
Acta Physica Polonica A |
Abbreviated Journal |
Acta Physica Polonica A |
| Volume |
113 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
955-958 |
| Keywords |
SSPD, SNSPD |
| Abstract |
Dynamics of a resistive hotspot formation by near-infrared-wavelength single photons in nanowire-type superconducting NbN stripes was investigated. Numerical simulations of ultrafast thermalization of photon-excited nonequilibrium quasiparticles, their multiplication and out-diffusion from a site of the photon absorption demonstrate that 1.55 μm wavelength photons create in an ultrathin, two-dimensional superconducting film a resistive hotspot with the diameter which depends on the photon energy, and the nanowire temperature and biasing conditions. Our hotspot model indicates that under the subcritical current bias of the 2D stripe, the electric field penetrates the superconductor at the hotspot boundary, leading to suppression of the stripe superconducting properties and accelerated development of a voltage transient across the stripe. |
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1414 |
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