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Nanowire superconducting single photon detectors progress and promise1

Sae Woo Nam, Varun Boehm Verma, Michael S. Allman, Robert D. Horansky, Adriana E. Lita, Francesco Marsili, J. A. Stern, Matthew D. Shaw, Andrew D. Beyer, Richard P. Mirin

Published Jan 1, 2014• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

Since the first reported detection of a single photon using a superconducting nanowire in 2001, rapid progress has been made in the development and application of superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPD or SSPD). I will briefly describe use of these detectors in new applications, progress in detector developments, and describe areas of research and their potential impact.

DOI
10.1364/cleo_at.2014.aw3p.1

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Since the first reported detection of a single photon using a superconducting nanowire in 2001, rapid progress has been made in the development and application of superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPD or SSPD). I will briefly describe use of these detectors in new applications, progress in detector developments, and describe areas of research and their potential impact.
In this review, we present recent advances relating to superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SSPDs or SNSPDs) and their broad range of applications. During a period exceeding ten years, the system performance of SSPDs has been drastically improved, and lately excellent detection efficiencies have been realized in practical systems for a wide range of target photon wavelengths. Owing to their advantages such as high system detection efficiency, low dark count rate, and excellent timing jitter, SSPDs have found application in various research fields such as quantum information, quantum optics, optical communication, and also in the life sciences. We summarize the photon detection principle and the current performance status of practical SSPD systems. In addition, we introduce application examples in which SSPDs have been applied.
Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) are the leading technology for photon counting at near-infrared wavelengths, offering unparalleled performance across multiple metrics and enabling diverse applications. Two decades after their introduction, SNSPDs have made significant progress and reached a mature stage of development. However, the requirements of new, demanding applications and the push to democratize this technology open up new opportunities for further advancements. In this perspective, we provide an introduction to SNSPD technology, an overview of current research trends, and insights into future directions in this field.
Single-photon detectors based on superconducting nanowires (SSPDs or SNSPDs) have rapidly emerged as a highly promising photon-counting technology for infrared wavelengths. These devices offer high efficiency, low dark counts and excellent timing resolution. In this review, we consider the basic SNSPD operating principle and models of device behaviour. We give an overview of the evolution of SNSPD device design and the improvements in performance which have been achieved. We also evaluate device limitations and noise mechanisms. We survey practical refrigeration technologies and optical coupling schemes for SNSPDs. Finally we summarize promising application areas, ranging from quantum cryptography to remote sensing. Our goal is to capture a detailed snapshot of an emerging superconducting detector technology on the threshold of maturity.
Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detectors (SNSPDs) are the most advanced detectors available for time-resolved single photon counting from the UV to the mid-infrared. We will discuss recent progress in SNSPD development for the ground terminal in NASA’s Deep Space Optical Communication (DSOC) project as well as recent performance advances in other metrics, including the development of kilopixel SNSPD arrays, single-photon sensitivity at mid-infrared wavelengths as long as 10 microns, and SNSPDs with sub-3ps timing jitter. I will discuss a range of new potential scientific applications for SNSPDs, including exoplanet transit spectroscopy, dark matter detection, fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy, and quantum information science.