We numerically study the effects of two forms of quenched disorder on the anyons of the toric code. Firstly, a new class of codes based on random lattices of stabilizer operators is presented, and shown to be superior to the standard square lattice toric code for certain forms of biased noise. It is further argued that these codes are close to optimal, in that they tightly reach the upper bound of error thresholds beyond which no correctable CSS codes can exist. Additionally, we study the classical motion of anyons in toric codes with randomly distributed onsite potentials. In the presence of repulsive long-range interaction between the anyons, a surprising increase with disorder strength of the lifetime of encoded states is reported and explained by an entirely incoherent mechanism. Finally, the coherent transport of the anyons in the presence of both forms of disorder is investigated, and a significant suppression of the anyon motion is found.

We report on the optimisation of amorphous molybdenum silicide thin film growth for superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD) applications. Molybdenum silicide was deposited via co-sputtering from Mo and Si targets in an Ar atmosphere. The superconducting transition temperature (Tc) and sheet resistance (Rs) were measured as a function of thickness and compared to several theoretical models for disordered superconducting films. Superconducting and optical properties of amorphous materials are very sensitive to short- (up to 1 nm) and medium-range order (∼1–3 nm) in the atomic structure. Fluctuation electron microscopy studies showed that the films assumed an A15-like medium-range order. Electron energy loss spectroscopy indicates that the film stoichiometry was close to Mo83Si17, which is consistent with reports that many other A15 structures with the nominal formula A3B show a significant non-stoichiometry with A:B > 3:1. Optical properties from ultraviolet (270 nm) to infrared (2200 nm) wavelengths were measured via spectroscopic ellipsometry for 5 nm thick MoSi films indicating high long wavelength absorption. We also measured the current density as a function of temperature for nanowires patterned from a 10 nm thick MoSi film. The current density at 3.6 K is 3.6 × 105 A cm−2 for the widest wire studied (2003 nm), falling to 2 × 105 A cm−2 for the narrowest (173 nm). This investigation confirms the excellent suitability of MoSi for SNSPD applications and gives fresh insight into the properties of the underlying materials.

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We report on a miniaturized platform for superconducting infrared photon counting detectors. We have implemented a fibre-coupled superconducting nanowire single photon detector in a Stirling/Joule–Thomson platform with a base temperature of 4.2 K. We have verified a cooling power of 4 mW at 4.7 K. We report 20% system detection efficiency at 1310 nm wavelength at a dark count rate of 1 kHz. We have carried out compelling application demonstrations in single photon depth metrology and singlet oxygen luminescence detection.

Superconducting detectors based on parallel microscopic strip-lines are promising candidates for single molecule detection in time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The device physics of this configuration is complex. In this letter, we employ nano-optical techniques to study the variation of current density, count rate, and pulse amplitude transversely across the parallel strip device. Using the phenomenological London theory, we are able to correlate our results to a non-uniform current distribution between the strips, governed by the London magnetic penetration depth. This fresh perspective convincingly explains anomalous behaviour in large area parallel superconducting strip-line detectors reported in previous studies.