Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Applied Physics Letters

A cascade switching superconducting single photon detector

Mikkel Ejrnaes, Roberto Cristiano, Orlando Quaranta, S. Pagano, Alessandro Gaggero, F. Mattioli, Roberto Leoni, B. Voronov, Gregory N Gol'tsman

Published Dec 24, 2007• 124 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We have realized superconducting single photon detectors with reduced inductance and increased signal pulse amplitude. The detectors are based on a parallel connection of ultrathin NbN nanowires with a common bias inductance. When properly biased, an absorbed photon induces a cascade switch of all the parallel wires generating a signal pulse amplitude of 2mV. The parallel wire configuration lowers the detector inductance and reduces the response time well below 1ns.

DOI
10.1063/1.2828138

Related papers

Superconducting single photon detectors based on parallel NbN nanowires

Mikkel Ejrnaes, A. Casaburi, S. Pagano +4 more

Ultrathin NbN nanowires is the material of choice for superconducting single photon detectors (SSPD) due to the good efficiency, dark count rate and timing jitter at 1550 nm wavelength obtained. These performance parameters are achieved using nanowires a few nanometers thick and 100 nm wide patterned into a meander shape in order to achieve area coverage. The meander shape effectively makes the SSPD of a single very long nanowire in turn giving it a significant inductance which limits the maximum count rate of the detector. Recently, we demonstrated how one can exploit a cascade switch to the normal state of nanowires connected in parallel to significantly reduce the SSPD inductance and increase the signal amplitude. Here we present how one can configure SSPDs that uses multiple cascade switches to the normal state. We show how this principle can be used to expand the SSPD coverage area with a very limited increase in detector inductance with area. Finally we discuss our first results obtained with SSPD based on the multiple cascade switch principle, showing correct operation, increased operational bias range and increased signal pulse amplitudes.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Apr 29, 2011•0 citations

Large Signal Amplitude and Bias Range of Cascade Switch Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detectors

Mikkel Ejrnaes, A. Casaburi, Orlando Quaranta +6 more

Cascade switch superconducting nanowire single photon detectors has been fabricated of ultrathin NbN films deposited by DC-magnetron sputtering at room temperature on MgO substrates. Detectors using 4 to 24 nanowires in parallel, having an area coverage of 5times mum2and a filling factor of 40%, have been investigated. Signal amplitudes increase with the number of parallel nanowires and reaches 12.3 mV with a signal noise of 20 muV. The range of bias currents where the detectors emit signal pulses also increase with the number of parallel nanowires and exceeds the nanowire critical current.

IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity•Jun 1, 2009•9 citations

Superconducting single photon detectors based on multiple cascade switches of parallel NbN nanowires

Roberto Cristiano, Mikkel Ejrnaes, A. Casaburi +4 more

Ultrathin NbN nanowires is the material of choice for superconducting single photon detectors (SSPD) due to the good efficiency, dark count rate and timing jitter at 1550 nm wavelength obtained. These performance parameters are achieved using nanowires a few nanometers thick and 100 nm wide patterned into a meander shape in order to achieve area coverage. The meander shape effectively makes the SSPD of a single very long nanowire in turn giving it a significant inductance which limits the maximum count rate of the detector. Recently, we demonstrated how one can exploit a cascade switch to the normal state of nanowires connected in parallel to significantly reduce the SSPD inductance and increase the signal amplitude. Here we present how one can configure SSPDs that uses multiple cascade switches to the normal state. We show how this principle can be used to expand the SSPD coverage area with a very limited increase in detector inductance with area. Finally we discuss our first results obtained with SSPD based on the multiple cascade switch principle, showing correct operation.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Apr 30, 2011•2 citations

Characterization of parallel superconducting nanowire single photon detectors

Mikkel Ejrnaes, A. Casaburi, Orlando Quaranta +6 more

Superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs) have been realized using an innovative parallel wire configuration. This configuration allows, at the same time, a large detection area and a fast response, with the additional advantage of large signal amplitudes. The detectors have been thoroughly characterized in terms of signal properties (amplitude, risetime and falltime), detector operation (latching and not latching) and quantum efficiency (at 850 nm). It has been shown that the parallel SNSPD is able to provide significantly higher maximum count rates for large area SNSPDs than meandered SNSPDs. Through a proper parallel wire configuration the increase in maximum count rate can be obtained without latching problems.

Superconductor Science and Technology•Mar 30, 2009•55 citations

Timing jitter of cascade switch superconducting nanowire single photon detectors

Mikkel Ejrnaes, A. Casaburi, Roberto Cristiano +9 more

We investigate the timing jitter in parallel superconducting NbN-nanowire single photon detectors based on a cascade switch mechanism. The measured timing jitter is asymmetric and has an oscillatory dependence on bias current. At the highest bias current the full width at half maximum was 1.5 times larger than an on-chip reference meander NbN nanowire. A physical model of the dynamics occurring during cascade switch is developed, that quantitatively accounts for our observations as a consequence of different nanowire critical currents within the detector.

Applied Physics Letters•Sep 28, 2009•23 citations

Nano-optical observation of cascade switching in a parallel superconducting nanowire single photon detector

Robert M. Heath, Michael G. Tanner, Alessandro Casaburi +6 more

The device physics of parallel-wire superconducting nanowire single photon detectors is based on a cascade process. Using nano-optical techniques and a parallel wire device with spatially separate pixels, we explicitly demonstrate the single- and multi-photon triggering regimes. We develop a model for describing efficiency of a detector operating in the arm-trigger regime. We investigate the timing response of the detector when illuminating a single pixel and two pixels. We see a change in the active area of the detector between the two regimes and find the two-pixel trigger regime to have a faster timing response than the one-pixel regime.

arXiv:1402.2879•Applied Physics Letters•Feb 10, 2014•14 citations
We have realized superconducting single photon detectors with reduced inductance and increased signal pulse amplitude. The detectors are based on a parallel connection of ultrathin NbN nanowires with a common bias inductance. When properly biased, an absorbed photon induces a cascade switch of all the parallel wires generating a signal pulse amplitude of 2mV. The parallel wire configuration lowers the detector inductance and reduces the response time well below 1ns.
Ultrathin NbN nanowires is the material of choice for superconducting single photon detectors (SSPD) due to the good efficiency, dark count rate and timing jitter at 1550 nm wavelength obtained. These performance parameters are achieved using nanowires a few nanometers thick and 100 nm wide patterned into a meander shape in order to achieve area coverage. The meander shape effectively makes the SSPD of a single very long nanowire in turn giving it a significant inductance which limits the maximum count rate of the detector. Recently, we demonstrated how one can exploit a cascade switch to the normal state of nanowires connected in parallel to significantly reduce the SSPD inductance and increase the signal amplitude. Here we present how one can configure SSPDs that uses multiple cascade switches to the normal state. We show how this principle can be used to expand the SSPD coverage area with a very limited increase in detector inductance with area. Finally we discuss our first results obtained with SSPD based on the multiple cascade switch principle, showing correct operation, increased operational bias range and increased signal pulse amplitudes.
Cascade switch superconducting nanowire single photon detectors has been fabricated of ultrathin NbN films deposited by DC-magnetron sputtering at room temperature on MgO substrates. Detectors using 4 to 24 nanowires in parallel, having an area coverage of 5times mum2and a filling factor of 40%, have been investigated. Signal amplitudes increase with the number of parallel nanowires and reaches 12.3 mV with a signal noise of 20 muV. The range of bias currents where the detectors emit signal pulses also increase with the number of parallel nanowires and exceeds the nanowire critical current.
Ultrathin NbN nanowires is the material of choice for superconducting single photon detectors (SSPD) due to the good efficiency, dark count rate and timing jitter at 1550 nm wavelength obtained. These performance parameters are achieved using nanowires a few nanometers thick and 100 nm wide patterned into a meander shape in order to achieve area coverage. The meander shape effectively makes the SSPD of a single very long nanowire in turn giving it a significant inductance which limits the maximum count rate of the detector. Recently, we demonstrated how one can exploit a cascade switch to the normal state of nanowires connected in parallel to significantly reduce the SSPD inductance and increase the signal amplitude. Here we present how one can configure SSPDs that uses multiple cascade switches to the normal state. We show how this principle can be used to expand the SSPD coverage area with a very limited increase in detector inductance with area. Finally we discuss our first results obtained with SSPD based on the multiple cascade switch principle, showing correct operation.
Superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs) have been realized using an innovative parallel wire configuration. This configuration allows, at the same time, a large detection area and a fast response, with the additional advantage of large signal amplitudes. The detectors have been thoroughly characterized in terms of signal properties (amplitude, risetime and falltime), detector operation (latching and not latching) and quantum efficiency (at 850 nm). It has been shown that the parallel SNSPD is able to provide significantly higher maximum count rates for large area SNSPDs than meandered SNSPDs. Through a proper parallel wire configuration the increase in maximum count rate can be obtained without latching problems.
We investigate the timing jitter in parallel superconducting NbN-nanowire single photon detectors based on a cascade switch mechanism. The measured timing jitter is asymmetric and has an oscillatory dependence on bias current. At the highest bias current the full width at half maximum was 1.5 times larger than an on-chip reference meander NbN nanowire. A physical model of the dynamics occurring during cascade switch is developed, that quantitatively accounts for our observations as a consequence of different nanowire critical currents within the detector.
The device physics of parallel-wire superconducting nanowire single photon detectors is based on a cascade process. Using nano-optical techniques and a parallel wire device with spatially separate pixels, we explicitly demonstrate the single- and multi-photon triggering regimes. We develop a model for describing efficiency of a detector operating in the arm-trigger regime. We investigate the timing response of the detector when illuminating a single pixel and two pixels. We see a change in the active area of the detector between the two regimes and find the two-pixel trigger regime to have a faster timing response than the one-pixel regime.