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arXiv:quant-ph/0607212 · Journal of Applied Physics

Single-photon source characterization with twin infrared-sensitive superconducting single-photon detectors

Robert H. Hadfield, Martin J. Stevens, Richard P. Mirin, Sae Woo Nam

Published May 15, 2007• 34 citations
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Abstract

We report on the high fidelity characterization, via spontaneous emission lifetime and g(2)(τ) measurements, of a cavity-coupled quantum dot single-photon source at 902nm using a pair of nanowire-based superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPDs). We analyze the suitability of the twin SSPD scheme reported here for the characterization of single-photon sources at telecommunications wavelengths (1310 and 1550nm).

DOI
10.1063/1.2717582

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We report on the high fidelity characterization, via spontaneous emission lifetime and g(2)(τ) measurements, of a cavity-coupled quantum dot single-photon source at 902nm using a pair of nanowire-based superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPDs). We analyze the suitability of the twin SSPD scheme reported here for the characterization of single-photon sources at telecommunications wavelengths (1310 and 1550nm).
Superconducting single photon detectors (SSPD) based on nanopatterned niobium nitride wires offer single photon counting at fast rates, low jitter, and low dark counts, from visible wavelengths well into the infrared. We demonstrate the first use of an SSPD, packaged in a commercial cryocooler, for single photon source characterization. The source is an optically pumped, microcavity-coupled InGaAs quantum dot, emitting single photons at 902 nm. The SSPD replaces the second silicon Avalanche Photodiode (APD) in a Hanbury-Brown Twiss interferometer measurement of the source second-order correlation function, g(2)( ?). The detection efficiency of the superconducting detector system is >2 % (coupling losses included). The SSPD system electronics jitter is 170 ps, versus 550 ps for the APD unit, allowing the source spontaneous emission lifetime to be measured with improved resolution.
We report the observation of photon antibunching from a single, self-assembled InGaAs quantum dot (QD) at temperatures up to 135 K. The second-order intensity correlation,g(2)g^{(2)}g(2)(0), is less than 0.260$\pm0.024fortemperaturesupto100K.At120K,0.024 for temperatures up to 100 K. At 120 K,0.024fortemperaturesupto100K.At120K,g^{(2)}(0)increasestoabout0.471,whichisslightlylessthanthesecond−orderintensitycorrelationexpectedfromtwoindependentsingleemitters.Inaddition,wecharacterizetheperformanceofasuperconductingsinglephotondetector(SSPD)basedonananopatternedniobiumnitridewirethatexhibits68(0) increases to about 0.471, which is slightly less than the second-order intensity correlation expected from two independent single emitters. In addition, we characterize the performance of a superconducting single photon detector (SSPD) based on a nanopatterned niobium nitride wire that exhibits 68(0)increasestoabout0.471,whichisslightlylessthanthesecond−orderintensitycorrelationexpectedfromtwoindependentsingleemitters.Inaddition,wecharacterizetheperformanceofasuperconductingsinglephotondetector(SSPD)basedonananopatternedniobiumnitridewirethatexhibits68\pm3−pstimingjitterandlessthan100−Hzdarkcountratewithadetectionefficiency(DE)ofupto23-ps timing jitter and less than 100-Hz dark count rate with a detection efficiency (DE) of up to 2% at 902 nm. This detector is used to measure spontaneous emission lifetimes of semiconductor quantum wells (QWs) emitting light at wavelengths of 935 and 1245 nm. The sensitivity to wavelengths longer than 13−pstimingjitterandlessthan100−Hzdarkcountratewithadetectionefficiency(DE)ofupto2\mumandtheGaussiantemporalresponseofthissuperconductingdetectorpresentclearadvantagesovertheconventionaldetectortechnologies.WealsousethisdetectortocharacterizetheemissionfromasingleInGaAsQDembeddedinamicropillarcavity,measuringaspontaneousemissionlifetimeof370psandam and the Gaussian temporal response of this superconducting detector present clear advantages over the conventional detector technologies. We also use this detector to characterize the emission from a single InGaAs QD embedded in a micropillar cavity, measuring a spontaneous emission lifetime of 370 ps and amandtheGaussiantemporalresponseofthissuperconductingdetectorpresentclearadvantagesovertheconventionaldetectortechnologies.WealsousethisdetectortocharacterizetheemissionfromasingleInGaAsQDembeddedinamicropillarcavity,measuringaspontaneousemissionlifetimeof370psandag^{(2)}(0)of0.24(0) of 0.24(0)of0.24\pm$0.03.
The authors report on the full implementation of a superconducting detector technology in a fiber-based quantum key distribution (QKD) link. Nanowire-based superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPDs) offer infrared single-photon detection with low dark counts, low jitter, and short recovery times. These detectors are highly promising candidates for future high key rate QKD links operating at 1550nm. The authors use twin SSPDs to perform the BB84 protocol in a 1550nm fiber-based QKD link clocked at 3.3MHz. They exchange secure key over a distance of 42.5km in telecom fiber and demonstrate that secure key can be transmitted over a total link loss exceeding 12dB.
We present a break-through approach to mid-infrared single-photon detection based on nanowire NbN superconducting single-photon detectors (SSPD). Although SSPD became a mature technology for telecom wavelengths (1.3-1.55 μm) its further expansion to mid-infrared wavelength was hampered by low sensitivity above 2 μm. We managed to overcome this limit by reducing the nanowire width to 50 nm, while retaining high superconducting properties and connecting the wires in parallel to produce a voltage response of sufficient magnitude. The new device exhibits 10 times better quantum efficiency at 3.5 μm wavelength than the “standard” SSPD.
Single-photon sources and detectors are key enabling technologies for photonics in quantum information science and technology (QIST). QIST applications place high-level demands on the performance of sources and detectors; it is therefore essential that their properties can be characterized accurately. Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) have spectral sensitivity from visible to beyond 2 μm in wavelength, picosecond timing resolution (Jitter <100 ps FWHM) and the capacity to operate ungated with low dark counts (<1 kHz). This facilitates data acquisition at high rates with an excellent signal-to-noise ratio. We report on the construction and characterization of a two-channel SNSPD system. The detectors are mounted in a closed-cycle refrigerator, which eliminates reliance on liquid cryogens. Our specification was to deliver a system with 1% efficiency in both channels at a wavelength of 1310 nm with 1 kHz dark count rate. A full width at half maximum timing jitter of less than 90 ps is achieved in both channels. The system will be used to detect individual photons generated by quantum-optical sources at telecom wavelengths. Examples include single-photon sources based on quantum dots (emitting at 1310 nm). The SNSPD system's spectral sensitivity and timing resolution make it suited to characterization of such sources, and to wider QIST applications.