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Physical Review Applied

Detection of Coherent Terahertz Radiation from a High-Temperature Superconductor Josephson Junction by a Semiconductor Quantum-Dot Detector

Rais S. Shaikhaidarov, Vladimir N Antonov, Andrew J. Casey, Alexei Kalaboukhov, Sergey Kubatkin, Y. Harada, Koji Onomitsu, Alexander Ya. Tzalenchuk, Alexander S. Sobolev

Published Feb 22, 2016• 13 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Sources of light in the terahertz (THz) wavelength range are extensively researched, and tunable planar Josephson junctions seem promising.They can be used $e.g.$ to calibrate sensitive detectors, but not all of the energy poured into the junctions is converted to THz light. Knowing how many photons come out is not simply a matter of knowing how much energy went in. To address this problem, the authors employ a detector that discriminates between coherent THz radiation and thermally induced blackbody radiation, with single-photon sensitivity.

DOI
10.1103/physrevapplied.5.024010

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Sources of light in the terahertz (THz) wavelength range are extensively researched, and tunable planar Josephson junctions seem promising.They can be used e.g.e.g.e.g. to calibrate sensitive detectors, but not all of the energy poured into the junctions is converted to THz light. Knowing how many photons come out is not simply a matter of knowing how much energy went in. To address this problem, the authors employ a detector that discriminates between coherent THz radiation and thermally induced blackbody radiation, with single-photon sensitivity.
The voltage biased individual Josephson Junction made of high temperature superconductor (HTS JJ) can potentially serve as the tuneable spectral source of terahertz radiation. The power is however relatively small, and one needs a sensitive detector in order to study and to optimise such a source. We use a single photon semiconductor quantum dot detector to probe the radiation of the HTS JJ. The detector is a resonant device with a spectral resolution of 30% at resonance frequency. Despite a rather wide resonance line the detector allows to discriminate between the coherent and the thermal radiation of HTS JJ. We found that HTS JJ emits to vacuum only 10-18W in a form of the coherent radiation, which is only ~ 4 × 10-10part of the total dissipated power. Partially a small conversion factor can be attributed to the non optimal coupling of the HTS JJ to the planar metallic antenna. The experiments reveal also a specific of the operation of the quantum dot detector itself. We observe two resonances at 0.3 THz and 0.8 THz. They are likely related to excitation of the plasma mode in the patterned two dimensional electron gas.
We report a novel terahertz (THz) detector with a high- T c superconducting (HTS) Josephson junction. This detector was fabricated using a YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ grain boundary junction. Clear THz signals induced by THz-pulse radiation from an ultrafast photoconductive antenna excited by femtosecond optical pulses were observed. We investigated the characteristics of the detector by changing the parameters of THz radiation such as pump laser power for the THz emitter and THz polarization. The results indicate that the detector mainly detects the THz electric fields. This is the first demonstration of a detection of pulsed THz electric fields using an HTS Josephson junction.
Superconducting tunnel junctions, which are also known as superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) junctions, are widely used in coherent detection (heterodyne mixing) of electromagnetic radiation at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths to achieve high spectral resolution (Δν/ν<10-6). With extremely low dark current and high quantum efficiency, superconducting tunnel junctions are also promising for THz photon detection. Besides the merit of high detection sensitivity, THz photon detectors with superconducting tunnel junctions can be operated at relatively high temperatures (above 0.3 K) and don't need rather complicated filtering systems by simply incorporating a superconducting resonant circuit with superconducting tunnel junctions. This paper mainly investigates the characteristics of THz photon detectors with Nb and NbN-based superconducting tunnel junctions. The MAR effect and associated shot noise are addressed. Some analytical and preliminary experimental results are presented.
Superconducting tunnel junctions, which are also known as superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) junctions, are widely used in coherent detection (heterodyne mixing) of electromagnetic radiation at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths to achieve high spectral resolution (Delta v/v<10(-6)). With extremely low dark current and high quantum efficiency, superconducting tunnel junctions are also promising for THz photon detection. Besides the merit of high detection sensitivity, THz photon detectors with superconducting tunnel junctions can be operated at relatively high temperatures (above 0.3 K) and don't need rather complicated filtering systems by simply incorporating a superconducting resonant circuit with superconducting tunnel junctions. This paper mainly investigates the characteristics of THz photon detectors with Nb and NbN-based superconducting tunnel junctions. The MAR effect and associated shot noise are addressed. Some analytical and preliminary experimental results are presented.
Graphene Josephson junctions (JJs) are promising platforms for broadband quantum sensing because graphene combines frequency-independent absorption, ultralow electronic heat capacity, and weak electron–phonon coupling. While previous studies focused on microwave and infrared regimes, the terahertz (THz) range─where highly sensitive quantum detectors remain scarce─has largely remained unexplored. Here, we demonstrate a gate-tunable THz photoresponse in graphene JJs. Low-intensity THz illumination strongly suppresses the critical current, generating a pronounced photovoltage under current bias. From photovoltage measurements and independent electron thermometry, we extract a responsivity of 88 kV W –1 and a noise-equivalent power of 45 aW Hz –1/2 at 1.7 K. In addition, the hysteretic regime that persists up to 0.9 K suggests a possible route toward single-photon THz detection above millikelvin temperatures. Our results establish graphene JJs as promising candidates for cryogenic THz quantum sensing.