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arXiv:1807.04273 · Optics Letters

Single photon detection system for visible and infrared spectrum range

Alexander V. Divochiy, Marta Misiaszek, Yury B. Vakhtomin, Pavel Morozov, Смирнов Константин Владимирович, Philipp I. Zolotov, Piotr Leszek Kolenderski

Published Dec 12, 2018• 26 citations
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Abstract

We demonstrate niobium nitride based superconducting single-photon detectors sensitive in the spectral range 452–2300 nm. The system performance was tested in a real-life experiment with correlated photons generated by means of spontaneous parametric downconversion, where one photon was in the visible range and the other was in the infrared range. We measured a signal to noise ratio as high as 4×104 in our detection setting. A photon detection efficiency as high as 64% at 1550 nm and 15% at 2300 nm was observed.

DOI
10.1364/ol.43.006085

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IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics•Feb 23, 2022•27 citations
We demonstrate niobium nitride based superconducting single-photon detectors sensitive in the spectral range 452–2300 nm. The system performance was tested in a real-life experiment with correlated photons generated by means of spontaneous parametric downconversion, where one photon was in the visible range and the other was in the infrared range. We measured a signal to noise ratio as high as 4×104 in our detection setting. A photon detection efficiency as high as 64% at 1550 nm and 15% at 2300 nm was observed.
We demonstrate niobium nitride based superconducting single-photon detectors sensitive in the spectral range 457457457 nm - 230023002300 nm. The system performance was tested in a real-life experiment with correlated photons generated by means of spontaneous parametric down conversion, where one of photon was in the visible range and the other was in the infrared range. We measured a signal to noise ratio as high as 4×1044\times 10^44×104 in our detection setting. A photon detection efficiency as high as 646464 % at 155015501550 nm and 151515 % at 230023002300 nm was observed.
Broadband photon detectors are a key enabling technology for various applications such as spectrometers, light detection and ranging. In this work, we report on an ultra-broadband single-photon detector based on a microfiber (MF)-coupled superconducting nanowires structure operating in the spectral range from visible to near-infrared light. The MF-coupled superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD) is formed by placing an MF on top of superconducting niobium nitride (NbN) nanowires, allowing ultra-broadband photon detection due to their nearly lossless transmission/absorption and nearly unity internal efficiency for ultra-broad waveband. The simulation results indicate that with optimal device structure, the optical absorption with efficiency > 90% can be realized over a wavelength range of 350 nm to 2150 nm. The fabricated MF-coupled SNSPD shows unparalleled broadband system detection efficiencies (SDEs) of more than 50% from 630 nm to 1500 nm. The SDEs reach 66% at 785 nm and 45% at 1550 nm. These results pave the way for ultra-broadband weak light detection with quantum-limit sensitivity.
The paper reports progress on the design and development of niobium-nitride, superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPDs) for ultrafast counting of near-infrared photons for secure quantum communications. The SSPDs operate in the quantum detection mode, based on photon-induced hotspot formation and subsequent appearance of a transient resistive barrier across an ultrathin and submicron-width superconducting stripe. The devices are fabricated from 3.5 nm thick NbN films and kept at cryogenic (liquid helium) temperatures inside a cryostat. The detector experimental quantum efficiency in the photon-counting mode reaches above 20% in the visible radiation range and up to 10% at the 1.3–1.55 μn infrared range. The dark counts are below 0.01 per second. The measured real-time counting rate is above 2 GHz and is limited by readout electronics (the intrinsic response time is below 30 ps). The SSPD jitter is below 18 ps, and the best-measured value of the noise-equivalent power (NEP) is 2 × 10−18 W/Hz1/2. at 1.3 μm. In terms of photon-counting efficiency and speed, these NbN SSPDs significantly outperform semiconductor avalanche photodiodes and photomultipliers.
The quantum efficiency of NbN and NbTiN superconducting single photon detectors drops with decreasing photon energy. A lower gap material would enable single photon detection deeper in the infrared. We have fabricated a NbSi detector and compare its characteristics with a NbTiN device. NbSi (TC≃2 K) has a smaller superconducting gap than NbTiN or NbN (TC≃15 K). We measure the detection efficiency for a wavelength range from 1100 to 1900 nm. In this range the NbSi detector shows a 10-fold increase in relative efficiency with respect to the NbTiN detector.
The quantum efficiency of photon counters can be measured with standard uncertainty below 1% level using correlated photon pairs generated through spontaneous parametric down-conversion process. Normally a laser in UV, blue or green wavelength range with sufficient photon energy is applied to produce energy and momentum conserved photon pairs in two channels with desired wavelengths for calibration. One channel is used as the heralding trigger, and the other is used for the calibration of the detector under test. A superconducting nanowire single photon detector with advantages such as high photon counting speed (<20 MHz), low dark count rate (<50 counts per second), and wideband responsivity (UV to near infrared) is used as the trigger detector, enabling correlated photons calibration capabilities into shortwave visible range. For a 355nm single longitudinal mode pump laser, when a superconducting nanowire single photon detector is used as the trigger detector at 1064nm and 1560nm in the near infrared range, the photon counting efficiency calibration capabilities can be realized at 532nm and 460nm. The quantum efficiency measurement on photon counters such as photomultiplier tubes and avalanche photodiodes can be then further extended in a wide wavelength range (e.g. 400-1000nm) using a flat spectral photon flux source to meet the calibration demands in cutting edge low light applications such as time resolved fluorescence and nonlinear optical spectroscopy, super resolution microscopy, deep space observation, and so on.
Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) play a pivotal role in infrared single-photon-detection applications owing to their free-running mode, near-unity detection efficiency, and excellent time resolution. However, conventional niobium nitride- (NbN) SNSPDs often have a trade-off between optimal detection efficiency and time resolution. We herein demonstrate NbN SNSPDs in the combination of high efficiency and time resolution by using the helium-ion-irradiated film of 10 nm and a homemade cryogenic amplifier to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. The proposed 18-μm-diameter device operated at 850 mK shows a saturated system detection efficiency of ∼90.5% at 1550 nm wavelength with a dark count rate below 50 counts per second (cps), and minimum system timing jitter of ∼14.7 ps. Meanwhile, the recovery time is 21.2 ns owing to its lower kinetic inductance. The time-of-flight light detection and ranging with this device was further carried out indoors, which demonstrates a submillimeter (<0.5 mm) depth resolution, as well as good depth and intensity reconstruction of a low-signature object even under the dwell time of 0.5 ms. It indicates that our device has a great advantage and potential in high-time-resolution and weak-signal-detection applications, such as real-time imaging, fluorescence lifetime detection, and remote laser sensing.