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arXiv:2307.16672 · Optica Quantum

Low-noise balanced homodyne detection with superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors

Maximilian Protte, Timon Schapeler, Jan Sperling, Tim J. Bartley

Published Nov 29, 2023• 7 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) have been widely used to study the discrete nature of quantum states of light in the form of photon-counting experiments. We show that SNSPDs can also be used to study continuous variables of optical quantum states by performing homodyne detection at a bandwidth of 400 kHz. By measuring the interference of a continuous-wave field of a local oscillator with the field of the vacuum state using two SNSPDs, we show that the variance of the difference in count rates is linearly proportional to the photon flux of the local oscillator over almost five orders of magnitude. The resulting shot-noise clearance of (46.0 ± 1.1) dB is the highest reported clearance for a balanced optical homodyne detector, demonstrating their potential for measuring highly squeezed states in the continuous-wave regime. In addition, we measured a CMRR = 22.4 dB. From the joint click counting statistics, we also measure the phase-dependent quadrature of a weak coherent state to demonstrate our device’s functionality as a homodyne detector.

DOI
10.1364/opticaq.502201

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Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) have been widely used to study the discrete nature of quantum states of light in the form of photon-counting experiments. We show that SNSPDs can also be used to study continuous variables of optical quantum states by performing homodyne detection at a bandwidth of 400 kHz. By measuring the interference of a continuous-wave field of a local oscillator with the field of the vacuum state using two SNSPDs, we show that the variance of the difference in count rates is linearly proportional to the photon flux of the local oscillator over almost five orders of magnitude. The resulting shot-noise clearance of (46.0 ± 1.1) dB is the highest reported clearance for a balanced optical homodyne detector, demonstrating their potential for measuring highly squeezed states in the continuous-wave regime. In addition, we measured a CMRR = 22.4 dB. From the joint click counting statistics, we also measure the phase-dependent quadrature of a weak coherent state to demonstrate our device’s functionality as a homodyne detector.
Traditional photon detectors are operated in the direct detection mode, counting incident photons with a known quantum efficiency. Here, we have investigated a superconducting nanowire single photon detector (SNSPD) operated as a photon counting mixer at telecommunication wavelength around 1.5 μm. This regime of operation combines excellent sensitivity of a photon counting detector with excellent spectral resolution given by the heterodyne technique. Advantageously, we have found that low local oscillator (LO) power of the order of hundreds of femtowatts to a few picowatts is sufficient for clear observation of the incident test signal with the sensitivity approaching the quantum limit. With further optimization, the required LO power could be significantly reduced, which is promising for many practical applications, such as the development of receiver matrices or recording ultralow signals at a level of less-than-one-photon per second. In addition to a traditional NbN-based SNSPD operated with normal incidence coupling, we also use detectors with a travelling wave geometry, where a NbN nanowire is placed on the top of a Si3N4nanophotonic waveguide. This approach is fully scalable and a large number of devices could be integrated on a single chip.
Achievement of the ultimate sensitivity along with a high spectral resolution is one of the frequently addressed problems, as the complication of the applied and fundamental scientific tasks being explored is growing up gradually. In our work, we have investigated performance of a superconducting nanowire photon-counting detector operating in the coherent mode for detection of weak signals at the telecommunication wavelength. Quantum-noise limited sensitivity of the detector was ensured by the nature of the photon-counting detection and restricted by the quantum efficiency of the detector only. Spectral resolution given by the heterodyne technique and was defined by the linewidth and stability of the Local Oscillator (LO). Response bandwidth was found to coincide with the detector’s pulse width, which, in turn, could be controlled by the nanowire length. In addition, the system noise bandwidth was shown to be governed by the electronics/lab equipment, and the detector noise bandwidth is predicted to depend on its jitter. As have been demonstrated, a very small amount of the LO power (of the order of a few picowatts down to hundreds of femtowatts) was required for sufficient detection of the test signal, and eventual optimization could lead to further reduction of the LO power required, which would perfectly suit for the foreseen development of receiver matrices and the need for detection of ultra-low signals at a level of less-than-one-photon per second.
We present a high-speed time-domain shot-noise-limited balanced homodyne detector that is suitable for the detection of the quantum states of nanosecond pulsed optical fields. The detector can detect the quantum noise of individual nanosecond optical pulses at a repetition rate of 40 MHz and achieve a signal-to-noise ratio of above 14.5 dB at a local oscillator power of 9.9×107 photons per pulse. The stability of the detector is characterized via an Allan variance measurement, and superior stability is observed. The detector is especially applicable in the fields of quantum optics and quantum information, where high-speed time-domain detection of nanosecond pulsed optical field quadratures is required.
Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) are efficient measurement devices used for counting single photons. The field of their applications covers experimental quantum-optical studies, optical quantum computing, quantum communication, and others. After registering a photon by such a detector, the next one cannot be registered during the dead time, and after that this ability is smoothly restored. We have included this feature into the photodetection theory and introduced the corresponding photocounting formula. In the regime of continuous-wave detection, the photocounting statistics nonlinearly depends on the density operator due to a memory effect of previous measurement time windows. The considered examples demonstrate the strong influence of the relaxation process and the memory effect on the resulting photocounting statistics of the SNSPDs.