Superconducting single-photon counting system for optical experiments requiring time-resolution in the picosecond range

Abstract

We have developed a cryogenic measurement system for single-photon counting, which can be used in optical experiments requiring high time resolution in the picosecond range. The system utilizes niobium nitride superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors which are integrated in a time-correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC) setup. In this work, we describe details of the mechanical design, the electrical setup, and the cryogenic optical components. The performance of the complete system in TCSPC mode is tentatively benchmarked using 140 fs long laser pulses at a repetition frequency of 75 MHz. Due to the high temporal stability of these pulses, the measured time resolution of 35 ps (FWHM) is limited by the timing jitter of the measurement system. The result was cross-checked in a Coherent Anti-stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) setup, where scattered pulses from a β-barium borate crystal have been detected with the same time resolution.

Fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM): Basic concepts and some recent developments

“…The disadvantage is that they have a very long pulse rise time of micro-or milliseconds, so count rates in a single pixel are limited, but pixellated devices have been manufactured and used on telescopes for optical astronomy . Superconducting nanowires, on the other hand, have a very fast pulse rise time and can count single photons at MHz count rates (Stevens et al, 2006;Toussaint et al, 2012). They also have very low noise, but limited quantum efficiencies (which can be overcome by cavity resonators (Marsili et al, 2013)) and no intrinsic wavelength resolution.…”

Wide-field TCSPC: methods and applications

“…electron-hole pair generation and the photoelectric effect, exploiting superconductivity instead. They have been developed and used for astronomical applications, as reviewed recently [151], but some of these detectors have also been used for the detection of instrumental responses of laser pulses and fluorescence decays via TCSPC [152,153].…”

“…SNSPDs, on the other hand, have a very fast pulse rise time and can count single photons at MHz count rates [152,158]. They also have very low noise, but limited quantum efficiencies (which can be overcome by cavity resonators [159]) and no intrinsic wavelength resolution.…”

Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors with non-periodic dielectric multilayers

“…However, detectors with high efficiency over a carefully controlled spectral range, with rejection at other wavelengths, are highly desirable for emerging applications in the life sciences and atmospheric remote sensing. For example, in the visible to near-infrared range, applications such as fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) 13 14 , Raman spectroscopy 15 16 , and multispectral single-photon light detection and ranging (LIDAR) for forestry and agriculture 17 , appropriately tailored SSPDs will have superior characteristics to off-the-shelf silicon avalanche photodiodes 18 .…”