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Electrothermal simulation of superconducting nanowire avalanche photodetectors

Francesco Marsili, Faraz Najafi, Charles H. Herder, Karl K. Berggren

Published Dec 1, 2010• 22 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

We developed an electrothermal model of NbN superconducting nanowire avalanche photodetectors (SNAPs) on sapphire substrates. SNAPs are single-photon detectors consisting of the parallel connection of N superconducting nanowires. We extrapolated the physical constants of the model from experimental data and we simulated the time evolution of the device resistance, temperature and current by solving two coupled electrical and thermal differential equations describing the nanowires. The predictions of the model were in good quantitative agreement with the experimental results.

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We developed an electrothermal model of NbN superconducting nanowire avalanche photodetectors (SNAPs) on sapphire substrates. SNAPs are single-photon detectors consisting of the parallel connection of N superconducting nanowires. We extrapolated the physical constants of the model from experimental data and we simulated the time evolution of the device resistance, temperature and current by solving two coupled electrical and thermal differential equations describing the nanowires. The predictions of the model were in good quantitative agreement with the experimental results.
We developed an electrothermal model of NbN superconducting nanowire avalanche photodetectors (SNAPs) on sapphire substrates. SNAPs are single-photon detectors consisting of the parallel connection of N superconducting nanowires. We extrapolated the physical constants of the model from experimental data and we simulated the time evolution of the device resistance, temperature and current by solving two coupled electrical and thermal differential equations describing the nanowires. The predictions of the model were in good quantitative agreement with the experimental results.
We modeled the response of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors during a photodetection event, taking into consideration only the thermal and electrical properties of a superconducting NbN nanowire on a sapphire substrate. Our calculations suggest that heating which occurs after the formation of a photo-induced resistive barrier is responsible for the generation of a measurable voltage pulse. We compared this numerical result with experimental data of a voltage pulse from a slow device, i.e. large kinetic inductance, and obtained a good fit. Using this electro-thermal model, we estimated the temperature rise and the resistance buildup in the nanowire, and the return current at which the nanowire becomes superconducting again. We also show that the reset time of these photodetectors can be decreased by the addition of a series resistance and provide supporting experimental data. Finally we present preliminary results on a detector latching behavior that can also be explained using the electro-thermal model.
We investigated the reset time of superconducting nanowire avalanche photodetectors (SNAPs) based on 30 nm wide nanowires. We studied the dependence of the reset time of SNAPs on the device inductance and discovered that SNAPs can provide a speed-up relative to superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors with the same area but with some limitations: (1) Reducing the series inductance of SNAPs (necessary for the avalanche formation) could result in the detectors operating in an unstable regime, (2) a trade-off exists between maximizing the bias current margin and minimizing the reset time of SNAPs, and (3) reducing the reset time of SNAPs below ∼1 ns resulted in afterpulsing.
We investigated the timing jitter of superconducting nanowire avalanche photodetectors (SNAPs, also referred to as cascade-switching superconducting single-photon detectors) based on 30-nm-wide nanowires. At bias currents (IB) near the switching current, SNAPs showed sub-35-ps FWHM Gaussian jitter similar to standard 100-nm-wide superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors. At lower values of IB, the instrument response function (IRF) of the detectors became wider, more asymmetric, and shifted to longer time delays. We could reproduce the experimentally observed IRF time-shift in simulations based on an electrothermal model and explain the effect with a simple physical picture.
Superconducting devices offer the potential to perform at speeds and detection efficiencies higher than what is possible using conventional technologies (such as semiconducting avalanche photodiodes and photomultiplier tubs) for wavelengths from the ultraviolet to the mid-infrared. As a result, there has been increasing interest in using superconducting optical photon detectors in a variety of applications. There has been significant progress in using these types of detectors in areas of basic research such as quantum information science and quantum optics. These applications require detectors that have extremely low dark count rates, high count rates, and high quantum efficiency. I will begin by describing some of our earlier work on superconducting Transition-Edge Sensor (TES). In particular, I will describe some of the engineering involved in the cryogenic, electrical, and optical packaging so that these devices can be easily coupled into fiber-based optics. I will also describe our recent work on developing superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPD or SSPD). An SNSPD is an ultra-thin, ultra-narrow (nm scale) superconducting meander that is current biased just below its critical current density. When one or more photon is absorbed, a hot spot is formed that causes the superconductor to develop a resistance and consequently a voltage pulse. At NIST and JPL, we have been developing nanowire detectors using an amorphous alloy of tungsten-silicide. We will describe to construct systems using tungsten-silicide nanowires to achieve high detection efficiency (>90% at 1550nm). I will also describe our work to improve the performance of the device by fabricating multiple nanowires in an electrically parallel structure to implement a superconducting nanowire avalanche photodiode (SNAP)[1]. One example of this type of detector is shown in Fig 1. In this case, there are two tungsten silicide layers separated by a dielectric layer to optimize detection of light for any polarization[2]. In addition, progress on other types of SNAP detectors will be described to increase the signal size from a single photon, reduce the recovery time of the device, and to improve the jitter.
Single photon detectors have been fabricated NbN nano wire. These detectors are fabricated from high quality, ultra high vacuum sputtered NbN thin films on a sapphire substrate. In this work a typical schematic of the nanowire Single Photon Detector structure and then driving and measurement electronic circuit are shown. The response of superconducting nanowire single photon detectors during a photo detection event, is modeled by a special electrical circuits (two circuit). Finally, current through the wire is calculated by solving equations of models.