1
|
Häußler M, Terhaar R, Wolff MA, Gehring H, Beutel F, Hartmann W, Walter N, Tillmann M, Ahangarianabhari M, Wahl M, Röhlicke T, Rahn HJ, Pernice WHP, Schuck C. Scaling waveguide-integrated superconducting nanowire single-photon detector solutions to large numbers of independent optical channels. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2023; 94:013103. [PMID: 36725578 DOI: 10.1063/5.0114903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors are an enabling technology for modern quantum information science and are gaining attractiveness for the most demanding photon counting tasks in other fields. Embedding such detectors in photonic integrated circuits enables additional counting capabilities through nanophotonic functionalization. Here, we show how a scalable number of waveguide-integrated superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors can be interfaced with independent fiber optic channels on the same chip. Our plug-and-play detector package is hosted inside a compact and portable closed-cycle cryostat providing cryogenic signal amplification for up to 64 channels. We demonstrate state-of-the-art multi-channel photon counting performance with average system detection efficiency of (40.5 ± 9.4)% and dark count rate of (123 ± 34) Hz for 32 individually addressable detectors at minimal noise-equivalent power of (5.1 ± 1.2) · 10-18 W/Hz. Our detectors achieve timing jitter as low as 26 ps, which increases to (114 ± 17) ps for high-speed multi-channel operation using dedicated time-correlated single photon counting electronics. Our multi-channel single photon receiver offers exciting measurement capabilities for future quantum communication, remote sensing, and imaging applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Häußler
- Institute of Physics, University of Münster, Heisenbergstraße 11, 48149 Münster, Ggermany
| | - Robin Terhaar
- Institute of Physics, University of Münster, Heisenbergstraße 11, 48149 Münster, Ggermany
| | - Martin A Wolff
- Institute of Physics, University of Münster, Heisenbergstraße 11, 48149 Münster, Ggermany
| | - Helge Gehring
- Institute of Physics, University of Münster, Heisenbergstraße 11, 48149 Münster, Ggermany
| | - Fabian Beutel
- Institute of Physics, University of Münster, Heisenbergstraße 11, 48149 Münster, Ggermany
| | - Wladick Hartmann
- PixelPhotonics GmbH, Heisenbergstraße 11, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Nicolai Walter
- PixelPhotonics GmbH, Heisenbergstraße 11, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Max Tillmann
- PicoQuant GmbH, Rudower Chaussee 29, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Michael Wahl
- PicoQuant GmbH, Rudower Chaussee 29, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Tino Röhlicke
- PicoQuant GmbH, Rudower Chaussee 29, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Wolfram H P Pernice
- Institute of Physics, University of Münster, Heisenbergstraße 11, 48149 Münster, Ggermany
| | - Carsten Schuck
- Institute of Physics, University of Münster, Heisenbergstraße 11, 48149 Münster, Ggermany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Endo M, Sonoyama T, Matsuyama M, Okamoto F, Miki S, Yabuno M, China F, Terai H, Furusawa A. Quantum detector tomography of a superconducting nanostrip photon-number-resolving detector. OPTICS EXPRESS 2021; 29:11728-11738. [PMID: 33984948 DOI: 10.1364/oe.423142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Superconducting nanostrip photon detectors have been used as single-photon detectors, which can discriminate only photons' presence or absence. It has recently been found that they can discriminate the number of photons by analyzing the output signal waveform, and they are expected to be used in various fields, especially in optical-quantum-information processing. Here, we improve the photon-number-resolving performance for light with a high-average photon number by pattern matching of the output signal waveform. Furthermore, we estimate the positive-operator-valued measure of the detector by a quantum detector tomography. The result shows that the device has photon-number-resolving performance up to five photons without any multiplexing or arraying, indicating that it is useful as a photon-number-resolving detector.
Collapse
|
3
|
Schapeler T, Philipp Höpker J, Bartley TJ. Quantum detector tomography of a 2×2 multi-pixel array of superconducting nanowire single photon detectors. OPTICS EXPRESS 2020; 28:33035-33043. [PMID: 33114973 DOI: 10.1364/oe.404285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We demonstrate quantum detector tomography of a commercial 2×2 array of superconducting nanowire single photon detectors. We show that detector-specific figures of merit including efficiency, dark-count and cross-talk probabilities can be directly extracted, without recourse to the underlying detector physics. These figures of merit are directly identified from just four elements of the reconstructed positive operator valued measure (POVM) of the device. We show that the values for efficiency and dark-count probability extracted by detector tomography show excellent agreement with independent measurements of these quantities, and we provide an intuitive operational definition for cross-talk probability. Finally, we show that parameters required for the reconstruction must be carefully chosen to avoid oversmoothing the data.
Collapse
|
4
|
Photonic Readout of Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Counting Detectors. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9470. [PMID: 32528067 PMCID: PMC7289839 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65971-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Scalable, low power, high speed data transfer between cryogenic (0.1–4 K) and room temperature environments is essential for the realization of practical, large-scale systems based on superconducting technologies. A promising approach to overcome the limitations of conventional wire-based readout is the use of optical fiber communication. Optical fiber presents a 100–1,000x lower heat load than conventional electrical wiring, relaxing the requirements for thermal anchoring, and is also immune to electromagnetic interference, which allows routing of sensitive signals with improved robustness to noise and crosstalk. Most importantly, optical fibers allow for very high bandwidth densities (in the Tbps/mm2 range) by carrying multiple signals through the same physical fiber (Wavelength Division Multiplexing, WDM). Here, we demonstrate for the first time optical readout of a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD) directly coupled to a CMOS photonic modulator, without the need for an interfacing device. By operating the modulator in the forward bias regime at a temperature of 3.6 K, we achieve very high modulation efficiency (1,000–10,000 pm/V) and a low input impedance of 500 Ω with a low power dissipation of 40 μW. This allows us to obtain optical modulation with the low, millivolt-level signal generated by the SNSPD.
Collapse
|
5
|
Zhu D, Colangelo M, Chen C, Korzh BA, Wong FNC, Shaw MD, Berggren KK. Resolving Photon Numbers Using a Superconducting Nanowire with Impedance-Matching Taper. NANO LETTERS 2020; 20:3858-3863. [PMID: 32271591 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c00985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Time- and number-resolved photon detection is crucial for quantum information processing. Existing photon-number-resolving (PNR) detectors usually suffer from limited timing and dark-count performance or require complex fabrication and operation. Here, we demonstrate a PNR detector at telecommunication wavelengths based on a single superconducting nanowire with an integrated impedance-matching taper. The taper provides a kΩ load impedance to the nanowire, making the detector's output amplitude sensitive to the number of photon-induced hotspots. The prototyping device was able to resolve up to four absorbed photons with 16.1 ps timing jitter and <2 c.p.s. device dark count rate. Its exceptional distinction between single- and two-photon responses is ideal for high-fidelity coincidence counting and allowed us to directly observe bunching of photon pairs from a single output port of a Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometer. This detector architecture may provide a practical solution to applications that require high timing resolution and few-photon discrimination.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Di Zhu
- Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Marco Colangelo
- Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Changchen Chen
- Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Boris A Korzh
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109, United States
| | - Franco N C Wong
- Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Matthew D Shaw
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109, United States
| | - Karl K Berggren
- Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zheng K, Zhao QY, Lu HYB, Kong LD, Chen S, Hao H, Wang H, Pan DF, Tu XC, Zhang LB, Jia XQ, Chen J, Kang L, Wu PH. A Superconducting Binary Encoder with Multigate Nanowire Cryotrons. NANO LETTERS 2020; 20:3553-3559. [PMID: 32286838 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c00498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Many classic and quantum devices need to operate at cryogenic temperatures, demanding advanced cryogenic digital electronics for processing the input and output signals on a chip to extend their scalability and performance. Here, we report a superconducting binary encoder with ultralow power dissipation and ultracompact size. We introduce a multigate superconducting nanowire cryotron (nTron) that functions as an 8-input OR gate within a footprint of approximately 0.5 μm2. Four cryotrons compose a 4-bit encoder that has a bias margin of 18.9%, an operation speed greater than 250 MHz, an average switching jitter of 75 ps, and a power dissipation of less than 1 μW. We apply this encoder to read out a superconducting-nanowire single-photon detector array whose pixel location is digitized into a 4-bit binary address. The small size of the nanowire combined with the low power dissipation makes nTrons promising for future monolithic integration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kai Zheng
- Research Institute of Superconductor Electronics (RISE), School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
- Purple Mountain Laboratories, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211111, China
- School of Physics and Electronic Electrical Engineering, Huaiyin Normal University, Huai'an, Jiangsu 223300, China
| | - Qing-Yuan Zhao
- Research Institute of Superconductor Electronics (RISE), School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
- Purple Mountain Laboratories, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211111, China
| | - Hai-Yang-Bo Lu
- Research Institute of Superconductor Electronics (RISE), School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Ling-Dong Kong
- Research Institute of Superconductor Electronics (RISE), School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Shi Chen
- Research Institute of Superconductor Electronics (RISE), School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Hao Hao
- Research Institute of Superconductor Electronics (RISE), School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Research Institute of Superconductor Electronics (RISE), School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Dan-Feng Pan
- Research Institute of Superconductor Electronics (RISE), School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Xue-Cou Tu
- Research Institute of Superconductor Electronics (RISE), School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
- Purple Mountain Laboratories, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211111, China
| | - La-Bao Zhang
- Research Institute of Superconductor Electronics (RISE), School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
- Purple Mountain Laboratories, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211111, China
| | - Xiao-Qing Jia
- Research Institute of Superconductor Electronics (RISE), School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
- Purple Mountain Laboratories, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211111, China
| | - Jian Chen
- Research Institute of Superconductor Electronics (RISE), School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
- Purple Mountain Laboratories, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211111, China
| | - Lin Kang
- Research Institute of Superconductor Electronics (RISE), School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
- Purple Mountain Laboratories, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211111, China
| | - Pei-Heng Wu
- Research Institute of Superconductor Electronics (RISE), School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
- Purple Mountain Laboratories, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211111, China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Wu C, Xing W, Xia L, Huang H, Xu C. Receiver performance characteristics of single-photon lidar in a strong background environment. APPLIED OPTICS 2019; 58:102-108. [PMID: 30645506 DOI: 10.1364/ao.58.000102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/02/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The detection performance of the single-photon lidar (SPL) receiver is investigated as a function of optical attenuation and superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD) parameters (detection efficiency and dead time) in a strong background environment. With detection theory, it is found that there is optimal attenuation to make detection probability the highest at a given false alarm probability, namely, optimal working conditions. Optical attenuation is proved to be required only when the background photon number is higher than a certain value; otherwise, it is not necessary. Furthermore, the performance of a Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode (GMAPD) is compared. Under optimized working conditions, the SNSPD-based receiver exhibits higher detection performance in a strong background environment than that of the GMAPD-based receiver due to shorter dead time, while in a low-noise environment, attenuation is not essential, and detection efficiency becomes the dominant factor. The theoretical result gives a reference for the SPL receiver system design to achieve optimal detection performance.
Collapse
|