PT Journal AU Korneeva, YP Vodolazov, DY Semenov, AV Florya, IN Simonov, N Baeva, E Korneev, AA Goltsman, GN Klapwijk, TM TI Optical single-photon detection in micrometer-scale NbN bridges SO Phys. Rev. Applied JI Phys. Rev. Applied PY 2018 BP 064037 (1 to 13) VL 9 IS 6 DI 10.1103/PhysRevApplied.9.064037 DE NbN SSPD; SNSPD AB We demonstrate experimentally that single-photon detection can be achieved in micrometer-wide NbN bridges, with widths ranging from 0.53 to 5.15  μm and for photon wavelengths of 408 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, based on nanometer-scale nanowires implemented in a long meandering structure. The results are consistent with improved theoretical modeling based on the theory of nonequilibrium superconductivity, including the vortex-assisted mechanism of initial dissipation. ER