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Современные проблемы науки и образования

Моделирование спектральной зависимости квантовой эффективности сверхпроводникового однофотонного детектора

Чулкова Галина Меркурьевна, Alexander A. Korneev, Anna I. Kardakova, Pavel P. An, А. Ю. Казаков, Artur V. Trifonov, Ilya V. Lesnov, И. И. Галанин

Published Jan 1, 2012• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

Dependence of quantum efficiency on energy of a photon for superconducting single-photon detector (SSPD) is modeled. The “hot-spot” model, describing quasiparticle multiplication, their diffusion, local suppression of superconductivity and supercurrent redistribution in the strip of the detector, is utilized. To describe response at low energy of quanta, a concept of fluctuation-assisted nucleation of the resistive state is applied. Qualitative formulas are derived, describing spectral and current dependency of quantum efficiency in the limits of low and high efficiency. The formulas can be used to describe response of SSPD in the whole range of wavelengths. The result allows to specialize conditions of operation corresponding to high values of the detector quantum efficiency. Thereby, absence of red-cutoff for SSPD is theoretically explained, an ability to obtain high quantum efficiency in IR-range is confirmed.

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Dependence of quantum efficiency on energy of a photon for superconducting single-photon detector (SSPD) is modeled. The “hot-spot” model, describing quasiparticle multiplication, their diffusion, local suppression of superconductivity and supercurrent redistribution in the strip of the detector, is utilized. To describe response at low energy of quanta, a concept of fluctuation-assisted nucleation of the resistive state is applied. Qualitative formulas are derived, describing spectral and current dependency of quantum efficiency in the limits of low and high efficiency. The formulas can be used to describe response of SSPD in the whole range of wavelengths. The result allows to specialize conditions of operation corresponding to high values of the detector quantum efficiency. Thereby, absence of red-cutoff for SSPD is theoretically explained, an ability to obtain high quantum efficiency in IR-range is confirmed.
We have experimentally studied the supercurrent-assisted formation of the resistive state in nano-structured disordered superconducting Nb(N) films after absorption of a single optical to near-infrared photon. The efficiency of the resistive state formation has a pronounced spectral cut-off; corresponding threshold photon energy decreases with the bias current. Analysis of the experimental data in the framework of the refined hot-spot model suggests that the quantum yield for near-infrared photons increases with the photon energy. Relaxation of the resistive state depends on the photon energy making the phenomena feasible for the development of energy resolving single-photon detectors.
We analyze the ultimate performance of a superconducting quantum detector in order to meet requirements for applications in near-infrared astronomy and X-ray spectroscopy. The detector exploits a combined detection mechanism, in which avalanche quasiparticle multiplication and the supercurrent jointly produce a voltage response to a single absorbed photon via successive formation of a photon-induced and a current-induced normal hotspot in a narrow superconducting strip. The response time of the detector should increase with the photon energy providing energy resolution. Depending on the superconducting material and operation conditions, the cut-off wavelength for the single-photon detection regime varies from infrared waves to visible light. We simulated the performance of the background-limited infrared direct detector and X-ray photon counter utilizing the above mechanism. Low dark count rate and intrinsic low-frequency cut-off allow for realizing a background limited noise equivalent power of 10−20 W Hz−1/2 for a far-infrared direct detector exposed to 4-K background radiation. At low temperatures, the intrinsic response time of the counter is rather determined by diffusion of nonequilibrium electrons than by the rate of energy transfer to phonons. Therefore, thermal fluctuations do not hamper energy resolution of the X-ray photon counter that should be better than 10−3 for 6-keV photons. Comparison of new data obtained with a Nb based detector and previously reported results on NbN quantum detectors support our estimates of ultimate detector performance.
We investigate the effect of varying both incoming optical wavelength and width of NbN nanowires on the superconducting single photon detectors (SSPD) detection efficiency. The SSPD are current biased close to critical value and temperature fixed at 4.2 K, far from transition. The experimental results are found to verify with a good accuracy predictions based on the “hot spot model,” whose size scales with the absorbed photon energy. With larger optical power inducing multiphoton detection regime, the same scaling law remains valid, up to the three-photon regime. We demonstrate the validity of applying a limited number of measurements and using such a simple model to reasonably predict any SSPD behavior among a collection of nanowire device widths at different photon wavelengths. These results set the basis for designing efficient single photon detectors operating in the infrared (2–5 μm range).
We find the relation between the energy of the absorbed photon and the threshold current at which the resistive state appears in the current-carrying superconducting film with probability about unity. In our calculations we use the modified hot-spot model, which assumes a different strength of suppression of the superconducting order parameter in the finite area of the film around the place where the photon is absorbed. To find the threshold current we solve the Ginzburg-Landau equation for the superconducting order parameter, which automatically includes the current continuity equation and it allows us to consider the back effect of current redistribution near the hot spot on the stability of the superconducting state. We find quantitative agreement with recent experiments, where we use the single fitting parameter which describes what part of the energy of the photon goes for the local destruction of the superconductivity in the film.
Superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPDs) are nanostructured devices made from ultrathin superconducting films. They are typically operated at liquid helium temperature and exhibit high detection efficiency, in combination with very low dark counts, fast response time, and extremely low timing jitter, within a broad wavelength range from ultraviolet to mid-infrared (up to 6mum). SSPDs are very attractive for applications such as fiber-based telecommunication, where single-photon sensitivity and high photon-counting rates are required. We review the current state-of-the-art in the SSPD research and development, and compare the SSPD performance to the best semiconducting avalanche photodiodes and other superconducting photon detectors. Furthermore, we demonstrate that SSPDs can also be successfully implemented in photon-energy-resolving experiments. Our approach is based on the fact that the size of the hotspot, a nonsuperconducting region generated upon photon absorption, is linearly dependent on the photon energy. We introduce a statistical method, where, by measuring the SSPD system detection efficiency at different bias currents, we are able to resolve the wavelength of the incident photons with a resolution of 50 nm.
We theoretically study the dependence of the intrinsic detection efficiency (IDE) of a superconducting nanowire single photon detector on the applied current, I , and magnetic field, H . We find that the current, at which the resistive state appears in the superconducting film, depends on the position of the hot spot (a region with suppressed superconductivity around the place where the photon has been absorbed) with respect to the edges of the film. This circumstance leads to inevitable smooth dependence IDE(I) when IDE , even for a homogenous straight superconducting film and in the absence of fluctuations. For IDE , a much sharper current dependence comes from the fluctuation-assisted vortex entry to the hot spot, which is located near the edge of the film. We find that a weak magnetic field strongly affects IDE when the photon detection is connected with fluctuation-assisted vortex entry to the hot spot (IDE ), and it weakly affects IDE when the photon detection is connected with the current-induced vortex nucleation in the film with the hot spot (IDE ).