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Photonics Research

Ultralow-filling-factor superconducting nanowire single-photon detector utilizing a 2D photonic crystal

You Xiao, Xiyuan Cao, Xiaoyu Liu, Lianxi Jia, Jia Huang, Hao Li, Aimin Wu, Zhen Wang, Lixing You

Published Oct 11, 2023• 7 citations

Abstract

Superconducting nanowires enable the operation of outstanding single-photon detectors, which are required particularly for quantum information and weak-light measurement applications. However, the trade-off between detection speed and efficiency, which is related to the filling factors of superconducting nanowires, is still a challenge. Here, we propose a fast, efficient single-photon detector fabricated by integrating ultralow-filling-factor meandered superconducting nanowires atop a photonic crystal (PhC) resonator. This unique structure enables a fast photon response due to the low kinetic inductance of the short nanowires and ensures efficient photon absorption due to the resonant effect of the PhC structure. The proposed detector has a filling factor of only ∼12% while maintaining a high maximum absorption in our simulation of 90%. The fabricated device exhibits a maximum system detection efficiency of 60%, a maximum count rate of ∼80 MHz, and a recovery time of only ∼12 ns, which is three times faster than that of the conventional meandered structure at the same sensing diameter (18 μm). This work helps advance the movement toward high-efficiency, high-speed single-photon detectors and promotes their future application in quantum communication and imaging.

DOI: 10.1364/prj.502849

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Nanophotonic integrated circuits are emerging as a promising platform for quantum photonics. A key building block are waveguide integrated detectors with superior performance. Detectors based on superconductor nanowires (SNSPDs) attached to optical waveguides have been shown to provide high efficiency and good timing performance, as well as broad bandwidth. To move towards applications in high bandwidth quantum communication and processing, ultrafast single-photon detectors with high efficiency are needed. The speed of meander type SNSPDs is limited because the required high absorption efficiency necessitates long nanowires deposited on top of the waveguide. This enhances the kinetic inductance and makes the detectors slow. We overcome this problem by aligning the nanowire perpendicular to the waveguide to realize devices with a length below 1 µm. By integrating the nanowire into a photonic crystal cavity, we recover high absorption efficiency, thus enhancing the detection efficiency by more than an order of magnitude. Our cavity enhanced superconducting nanowire detectors are fully embedded in silicon nanophotonic circuits and efficiently detect single photons at telecom wavelengths. The detectors possess sub-nanosecond decay (~ 120 ps) and recovery times (~ 510 ps), and thus show potential for GHz count rates at low timing jitter (~ 32 ps).

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Ultrafast single-photon detectors with high efficiency are of utmost importance for many applications in the context of integrated quantum photonic circuits. Detectors based on superconductor nanowires attached to optical waveguides are particularly appealing for this purpose. However, their speed is limited because the required high absorption efficiency necessitates long nanowires deposited on top of the waveguide. This enhances the kinetic inductance and makes the detectors slow. Here, we solve this problem by aligning the nanowire, contrary to usual choice, perpendicular to the waveguide to realize devices with a length below 1 μm. By integrating the nanowire into a photonic crystal cavity, we recover high absorption efficiency, thus enhancing the detection efficiency by more than an order of magnitude. Our cavity enhanced superconducting nanowire detectors are fully embedded in silicon nanophotonic circuits and efficiently detect single photons at telecom wavelengths. The detectors possess subnanosecond decay (∼120 ps) and recovery times (∼510 ps) and thus show potential for GHz count rates at low timing jitter (∼32 ps). The small absorption volume allows efficient threshold multiphoton detection.

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