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Photonics for Quantum (PfQ)

Sensing and information processing by using superconducting nanowires

Karl K. Berggren

Published Aug 2, 2024• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

In this talk, I will present the latest results in superconducting single-photon detectors. Superconducting wires have remarkable sensitivity to single-photons and are a reliable and high-performance technology with significant impact on the quantum information research community. However, increasingly applications as diverse as detection of high-energy particles and searches for dark matter are being pursued. Finally, research on these nanowires has permitted their use for basic electronics circuits such as comparators, shift registers, and counters. We will review these and other topics surrounding the development of nanowire single-photon detectors.

DOI
10.1117/12.3029481

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In this talk, I will present the latest results in superconducting single-photon detectors. Superconducting wires have remarkable sensitivity to single-photons and are a reliable and high-performance technology with significant impact on the quantum information research community. However, increasingly applications as diverse as detection of high-energy particles and searches for dark matter are being pursued. Finally, research on these nanowires has permitted their use for basic electronics circuits such as comparators, shift registers, and counters. We will review these and other topics surrounding the development of nanowire single-photon detectors.
Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) have distinguished themselves as a near-optimal choice for a range of quantum information applications, including integrated photonics and quantum key distribution. But the most recent demands from the quantum domain are stretching their capabilities. In particular, photon number resolution has not been readily available in high-performance variants of the devices, and superconducting nanowires were generally thought not to be capable of intrinsic photon number resolution. Recently, significant results in this area have shown that photon number resolution is quite practical with SNSPDs. In addition, wider nanowires have shown good performance, suggesting that the devices can be fabricated using standard photolithography equipment. In this talk, I will review the SNSPD technology, as well as discuss our latest results.
Superconducting nanowires are currently a key technology for photon sensing, with key performance metrics exceeding those of most competing technologies. For example, recently detector timing resolution of just 3 ps for single visible photons was demonstrated. In addition, infrared sensitivity has long been a key advantage of these techniques. But the field continues to change rapidly, with interesting architectures emerging that promise increased functionality in the same form factor. For example, imaging, photon-number-resolution, and spectroscopy are all promising directions the field is now pursuing. In this review, I will explain the technology, applications, and background device physics, but also touch on some of the latest new developments.
Single-photon detectors based on superconducting thin films have become a viable class of technologies for widespread usage in quantum optics. In this tutorial paper we introduce the key performance metrics required of them for quantum information processing and related fields. We review the latest records achieved by such devices, study technical details regarding recent improvements in superconducting nanowire detectors and transition-edge sensors, and present representative applications in cutting-edge research areas that benefit from these advances.
Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detectors (SNSPDs) excel at a wide variety of performance criteria for single photon counting. They combine unprecedented high detection efficiency, high timing resolution, high count rates, low intrinsic dark count rates, and are sensitive to ultraviolet through mid-infrared single-photons. At JPL, we are working on several projects to push the performance limits of SNSPDs to achieve higher maximum count rates, larger active areas, higher timing resolution, and a wider spectral range. Our recent advances enable new applications for dark matter detection, imaging, and space-to-ground communication and provide insight into the fundamental physics of single-photon detection in superconducting nanowires.
The ability to detect single photons in the mid-infrared spectral range (beyond 2 μm wavelength, photon energy below 0.62 eV) is the key to unlocking a range of emerging scientific applications, from remote sensing LIDAR, molecular spectroscopy, and powerful new approaches to dark matter detection. Conventional detector types, such as semiconductor single-photon avalanche diodes, lose sensitivity at such low photon energy. Superconducting materials, with a much lower characteristic energy gap, hold particular promise. In this Perspective, we focus on recent advances in superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors, which have recently extended single-photon sensitivity up to 29 μm (0.043 eV). We discuss the potential for future advances and strategies to overcome challenges to technological development.
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.