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Superconducting nanowire single photon detectors provide high-speed detection capabilities from UV to mid-IR wavelengths. Our research focuses on understanding the optical, electrical and thermodynamic properties of these devices in order to engineer detectors with the highest possible efficiencies and speed. Multi-element SNSPDs have simultaneously demonstrated photon-number-resolution and precise individual photon timing. |
Some Relevant Publications
Photon-number-resolution with sub-30-ps timing using multi-element superconducting nanowire single photon detectors
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A photon-number-resolving detector based on a four-element superconducting nanowire single photon detector is demonstrated to have a 25% system detection efficiency at 1550 nm and sub-30-ps resolution in measuring the arrival time of individual photons. This detector can be used to characterize the photon statistics of non-pulsed light sources and to mitigate dead-time effects in high-speed photon counting applications.
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Probability of measuring N simultaneous photons as a function of time for a 100 ps-spaced pair of optical pulses
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Eric A. Dauler, Andrew J. Kerman, Bryan S. Robinson, Joel K. W. Yang, Boris Voronov, Gregory Gol'tsman, Scott A. Hamilton, and Karl K. Berggren, in press, Journal of Modern Optics (2008). Preprint available.
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Nanowire Single-Photon Detector with an Integrated Optical Cavity and Anti-Reflection Coating
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By integrating a microcavity with the detector, we enhanced the efficiency, achieving 57% device detection efficiency at 1.55 micrometer optical wavelength. The resulting process included an additional anti-reflection layer, making it the highest-efficiency superconductive nanowire detector fabricated. |
Electron-micrograph cross-section of a device, showing 90-nanometer-wide niobim nitride (NbN) nanowires on sapphire (Al2O3).
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K. M. Rosfjord, J. K. W. Yang, E. A. Dauler, A. J. Kerman, V. Anant, B. Voronov, G. N. Gol'tsman, K. K. Berggren, Optics Express, 14 527-34 (2006) [ abstract ][ pdf ]. |
Collaborators
- Dr. A. J. Kerman, MIT Lincoln Laboratory
- Dr. William Keicher, MIT Lincoln Laboratory
- Dr. Scott Hamilton, MIT Lincoln Laboratory
- Dr. Bryan Robinson, MIT Lincoln Laboratory
- Dr. Richard Molnar, MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Additional
Information
Sponsors
- AFOSR
- IARPA
- NSF
- NASA
- DARPA
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