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Author Inderbitzin, K.; Engel, A.; Schilling, A.; Il'in, K.; Siegel, M.
Title An ultra-fast superconducting Nb nanowire single-photon detector for soft x-rays Type Journal Article
Year 2012 Publication Abbreviated Journal Appl. Phys. Lett.
Volume 101 Issue Pages
Keywords SSPD, SNSPD, x-ray, Nb
Abstract Although superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) are well studied regarding the

detection of infrared/optical photons and keV-molecules, no studies on continuous x-ray photon

counting by thick-film detectors have been reported so far. We fabricated a 100 nm thick niobium

x-ray SNSPD (an X-SNSPD) and studied its detection capability of photons with keV-energies in

continuous mode. The detector is capable to detect photons even at reduced bias currents of 0.4%,

which is in sharp contrast to optical thin-film SNSPDs. No dark counts were recorded in extended

measurement periods. Strikingly, the signal amplitude distribution depends significantly on the photon

energy spectrum.VC
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Call Number RPLAB @ seleznev @ Serial 878
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Author D. Henrich, L. Rehm S. Dörner, M. Hofherr, K. Il'in, A. Semenov, and M. Siegel
Title Detection efficiency of a spiral-nanowire superconducting single-photon detector Type Journal Article
Year 2012 Publication Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages
Keywords Critical current, Nanoscale devices, Superconducting photodetectors.
Abstract We investigate the detection efficiency of a spiral layout of a Superconducting Nanowire Single-Photon Detector (SNSPD). The design is less susceptible to the critical current reduction in sharp turns of the nanowire than the conventional meander design. Detector samples with different nanowire width from 300 to 100 nm are patterned from a 4 nm thick NbN film deposited on sapphire substrates. The critical current IC at 4.2 K for spiral, meander, and simple bridge structures is measured and compared. On the 100 nm wide samples, the detection efficiency is measured in the wavelength range 400-1700 nm and the cut-off wavelength of the hot-spot plateau is determined. In the optical range, the spiral detector reaches a detection efficiency of 27.6%, which is ~1.5 times the value of the meander. In the infrared range the detection efficiency is more than doubled.
Address
Corporate Author D. Henrich, L. Rehm S. Dörner, M. Hofherr, K. Il'in, A. Semenov, and M. Siegel Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
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Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
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ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number RPLAB @ seleznev @ Serial 880
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Author Julia Toussaint, Roman Grüner, Marco Schubert, Torsten May, Hans-Georg Meyer, Benjamin Dietzek, Jürgen Popp, Matthias Hofherr, Matthias Arndt, Dagmar Henrich, Konstantin Il'in, and Michael Siegel
Title Superconducting single-photon counting system for optical experiments requiring time-resolution in the picosecond range Type Journal Article
Year 2012 Publication Abbreviated Journal AIP REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS
Volume 83 Issue Pages
Keywords SSPD, picosecond, time-resolution
Abstract We have developed a cryogenic measurement system for single-photon counting, which can be used

in optical experiments requiring high time resolution in the picosecond range. The system utilizes

niobium nitride superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors which are integrated in a timecorrelated

single-photon counting (TCSPC) setup. In this work, we describe details of the mechanical

design, the electrical setup, and the cryogenic optical components. The performance of the complete

system in TCSPC mode is tentatively benchmarked using 140 fs long laser pulses at a repetition

frequency of 75MHz. Due to the high temporal stability of these pulses, the measured time resolution

of 35 ps (FWHM) is limited by the timing jitter of the measurement system. The result was crosschecked

in a Coherent Anti-stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) setup, where scattered pulses from a

β-barium borate crystal have been detected with the same time resolution.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number RPLAB @ seleznev @ Serial 885
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Author Vercruyssen, N.; Verhagen, T. G. A.; Flokstra, M. G.; Pekola, J. P.; Klapwijk, T. M.
Title Evanescent states and nonequilibrium in driven superconducting nanowires Type Journal Article
Year 2012 Publication Phys. Rev. B Abbreviated Journal Phys. Rev. B
Volume 85 Issue Pages 224503(1-10)
Keywords Al HEB, Al superconducting nanowire, global state, bimodal state, quasiclassical kinetic equations, Usadel equation
Abstract We study the nonlinear response of current transport in a superconducting diffusive nanowire between normal reservoirs. We demonstrate theoretically and experimentally the existence of two different superconducting states appearing when the wire is driven out of equilibrium by an applied bias, called the global and bimodal superconducting states. The different states are identified by using two-probe measurements of the wire, and measurements of the local density of states with tunneling probes. The analysis is performed within the framework of the quasiclassical kinetic equations for diffusive superconductors.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 898
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Author Pütz, P.; Honingh, C. E.; Jacobs, K.; Justen, M.; Schultz, M.; Stutzki, J.
Title Terahertz hot electron bolometer waveguide mixers for GREAT Type Journal Article
Year 2012 Publication Astron. Astrophys. Abbreviated Journal A&A
Volume 542 Issue Pages L2
Keywords HEB mixer, applications
Abstract Context. Supplementing the publications based on the first-light observations with the German REceiver for Astronomy at Terahertz frequencies (GREAT) on SOFIA, we present background information on the underlying heterodyne detector technology. This Letter complements the GREAT instrument Letter and focuses on the mixers itself.

Aims. We describe the superconducting hot electron bolometer (HEB) detectors that are used as frequency mixers in the L1 (1400 GHz), L2 (1900 GHz), and M (2500 GHz) channels of GREAT. Measured performance of the detectors is presented and background information on their operation in GREAT is given.

Methods. Our mixer units are waveguide-based and couple to free-space radiation via a feedhorn antenna. The HEB mixers are designed, fabricated, characterized, and flight-qualified in-house. We are able to use the full intermediate frequency bandwidth of the mixers using silicon-germanium multi-octave cryogenic low-noise amplifiers with very low input return loss.

Results. Superconducting HEB mixers have proven to be practical and sensitive detectors for high-resolution THz frequency spectroscopy on SOFIA. We show that our niobium-titanium-nitride (NbTiN) material HEBs on silicon nitride (SiN) membrane substrates have an intermediate frequency (IF) noise roll-off frequency above 2.8 GHz, which does not limit the current receiver IF bandwidth. Our mixer technology development efforts culminate in the first successful operation of a waveguide-based HEB mixer at 2.5 THz and deployment for radioastronomy. A significant contribution to the success of GREAT is made by technological development, thorough characterization and performance optimization of the mixer and its IF interface for receiver operation on SOFIA. In particular, the development of an optimized mixer IF interface contributes to the low passband ripple and excellent stability, which GREAT demonstrated during its initial successful astronomical observation runs.
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Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
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Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 907
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