Low noise superconducting single photon detectors on silicon

Dorenbos, Sander N.; Reiger, Elisabeth; Perinetti, U.; Zwiller, Val; Zijlstra, T.; Klapwijk, T. M.

doi:10.1063/1.2990646

Cited by 133 publications

(97 citation statements)

References 14 publications

(9 reference statements)

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“…5,6 The active element of these detectors consists of a typically square meander of a superconducting NbN film of a few nanometer thickness. 7 Recently, alternative superconducting materials have been suggested, such as NbTiN, 8 TaN, 9 or WSi, 10 which may be better suited than NbN for certain applications. The detectors are biased with a constant direct current I bias which usually equals about 90% to 95% of the experimental critical current I c .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical analysis of detection-mechanism models of superconducting nanowire single-photon detector

Engel

Schilling

2013

Journal of Applied Physics

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The microscopic mechanism of photon detection in superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors is still under debate. We present a simple but powerful theoretical model that allows us to identify essential differences between competing detection mechanisms. The model is based on quasi-particle multiplication and diffusion after the absorption of a photon. We then use the calculated spatial and temporal evolution of this quasi-particle cloud to determine detection criteria of three distinct detection mechanisms, based on the formation of a normal conducting spot, the reduction of the effective depairing critical current below the bias current, and a vortex-crossing scenario, respectively. All our calculations as well as a comparison to experimental data strongly support the vortex-crossing detection mechanism by which vortices and antivortices enter the superconducting strip from the edges and subsequently traverse it thereby triggering the detectable normal conducting domain. These results may therefore help to reveal the microscopic mechanism responsible for the detection of photons in superconducting nanowires. V C 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical analysis of detection-mechanism models of superconducting nanowire single-photon detector

Engel

Schilling

2013

Journal of Applied Physics

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“…11 One recent important advance in the SNSPD field has been the introduction of amorphous superconductors such as tungsten silicide (WSi), 12 molybdenum silicide (MoSi) 13,14 and molybdenum germanium (MoGe). 15 SNSPDs based on these materials currently have the highest reported detection efficiencies (93% for WSi 12 ), as well as a higher fabrication yield 16 than devices made of polycrystalline materials such as niobium nitride (NbN), 1 niobium titanium nitride (NbTiN) 17 and tantalum nitride (TaN). 18 MoSi SNSPDs tailored to specific advanced photon counting applications have recently been reported, including integration on an optical waveguide, 19 UV single-photon detection 20 and integrated ion trapping.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Optically probing the detection mechanism in a molybdenum silicide superconducting nanowire single-photon detector

Caloz

Korzh

Timoney

et al. 2017

Applied Physics Letters

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We experimentally investigate the detection mechanism in a meandered molybdenum silicide (MoSi) superconducting nanowire single-photon detector by characterising the detection probability as a function of bias current in the wavelength range of 750 to 2050 nm. Contrary to some previous observations on niobium nitride (NbN) or tungsten silicide (WSi) detectors, we find that the energycurrent relation is nonlinear in this range. Furthermore, thanks to the presence of a saturated detection efficiency over the whole range of wavelengths, we precisely quantify the shape of the curves. This allows a detailed study of their features, which are indicative of both Fano fluctuations and position-dependent effects.

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“…Thin films from NbTiN offer advantages in fabrication, and the resulting SNSPD may have lower dark-count rates. 9 Detectors made from MgB 2 still suffer from the low quality of ultra-thin MgB 2 films. 10 Very recently, two reports with similar objectives have been published.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Tantalum nitride superconducting single-photon detectors with low cut-off energy

Engel

Aeschbacher

Inderbitzin

et al. 2012

Applied Physics Letters

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Materials with a small superconducting energy gap are expected to favor a high detection efficiency of low-energy photons in superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors. We developed a TaN detector with smaller gap and lower density of states at the Fermi energy than in comparable NbN devices, while other relevant parameters remain essentially unchanged. The observed reduction of the minimum photon energy required for direct detection is in line with model predictions of ≈ 1/3 as compared to NbN.

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Low noise superconducting single photon detectors on silicon

Cited by 133 publications

References 14 publications

Numerical analysis of detection-mechanism models of superconducting nanowire single-photon detector

Numerical analysis of detection-mechanism models of superconducting nanowire single-photon detector

Optically probing the detection mechanism in a molybdenum silicide superconducting nanowire single-photon detector

Tantalum nitride superconducting single-photon detectors with low cut-off energy

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