Optical Single-Photon Detection in Micrometer-Scale NbN Bridges

Yu. P. Korneeva, D. Yu. Vodolazov, A. V. Semenov, I. N. Florya, N. Simonov, E. Baeva, A. A. Korneev, G. N. Goltsman, and T. M. Klapwijk

Phys. Rev. Applied 9, 064037 – Published 22 June 2018

Abstract

We demonstrate experimentally that single-photon detection can be achieved in micrometer-wide NbN bridges, with widths ranging from 0.53 to $5.15 μ m$ and for photon wavelengths of 408 to 1550 nm. The microbridges are biased with a dc current close to the experimental critical current, which is estimated to be about 50% of the theoretically expected depairing current. These results offer an alternative to the standard superconducting single-photon detectors, based on nanometer-scale nanowires implemented in a long meandering structure. The results are consistent with improved theoretical modeling based on the theory of nonequilibrium superconductivity, including the vortex-assisted mechanism of initial dissipation.

5 More

Received 2 February 2018
Revised 16 May 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.9.064037

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Metrology Optical quantum information processing Optoelectronics Superconducting quantum optics

Low-temperature superconductors Optical fibers

Photon counting Superconducting devices

Condensed Matter, Materials & Applied Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Yu. P. Korneeva^*

Physics Department, Moscow State University of Education, Moscow 119991, Russia

D. Yu. Vodolazov

Institute for Physics of Microstructures, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhny Novgorod 603950, GSP-105, Russia and Physics Department, Moscow State University of Education, Moscow 119991, Russia

A. V. Semenov

Physics Department, Moscow State University of Education, Moscow 119991, Russia and Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), Moscow 141700, Russia

I. N. Florya and N. Simonov

Physics Department, Moscow State University of Education, Moscow 119991, Russia

E. Baeva

Higher School of Economics National Research University, Moscow 101000, Russia and Physics Department, Moscow State University of Education, Moscow 119991, Russia

A. A. Korneev

Physics Department, Moscow State University of Education, Moscow 119991, Russia; Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), Moscow 141700, Russia; and Higher School of Economics National Research University, Moscow 101000, Russia

G. N. Goltsman

Physics Department, Moscow State University of Education, Moscow 119991, Russia and Higher School of Economics, National Research University, Moscow 101000, Russia

T. M. Klapwijk

Physics Department, Moscow State University of Education, Moscow 119991, Russia and Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Delft 2628 CJ, The Netherlands

^*korneeva@rplab.ru

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

Issue

Vol. 9, Iss. 6 — June 2018

Subject Areas

Reuse & Permissions

Access Options

Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Physical Review Applied