Single-crystalline Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x detectors for direct detection of microwave radiation

Abstract

We test radiation detectors made from single-crystalline Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x flakes put on oxidized Si substrates. The 100-nm-thick flakes are lithographically patterned into 4×12 μm2 large rectangles embedded in thin-film log-spiral antennas. The SiO2 layer weakens the thermal link between the flakes and the bath. Two modes of radiation detection have been observed. For a bolometric type of sensors a responsivity of ∼300 V/W and a noise equivalent power of 30 nW/Hz has been deduced at 70 K. Much more sensitive is the non-bolometric device showing characteristics similar to a Golay-type detector while being at least a thousand times faster. Making smaller (sub-μm) structures is expected to significantly improve the performance of these devices and makes them very competitive among other microwave and terahertz detectors.

Engineering ultrastrong coupling between Josephson plasmon polaritons and subwavelength microcavity arrays in silicon/van der Waals layered superconductor heterostructure for terahertz hybrid circuit cavity quantum electrodynamics

“…In addition, as a result of weak vdW force between BSCCO layers, exfoliation to a small volume, and transferring to any desired substrate, BSCCO is a good material candidate for ultrasensitive sensors [38] and detectors with a lower response time constant [39]. Consequently, the BSCCO-based devices, capable of operation above liquid nitrogen temperature, are used in a wide range of frequencies from microwave [40], to THz [41,42], and visible-near infrared [38]. As a result, it would be very desirable to excite the EM waves in BSCCO in a controllable way.…”

Two-dimensional cuprate nanodetector with single telecom photon sensitivity at T = 20 K

“…and high-TC superconductors [9,[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] have received interest as candidates for the development of next-generation SNSPD's with increased capabilities.…”

“…Expanding single-photon detection to higher operating temperatures, longer wavelengths and faster response motivates the search for new material platforms [9][10][11]. In particular, van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures of 2D materials [12][13][14][15] and high-T c superconductors [9,[16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] have received interest as candidates for the development of next-generation SNSPD's with increased capabilities.…”

“…Fabrication of cuprate detectors has proven to be very challenging, as cuprates degrade rapidly under ambient conditions. Despite extensive research efforts, most cuprate nanostructures exhibit flux-flow behaviour characterized by smooth current-voltage (I-V) characteristics that preclude SNSPD operation [16,22,23]. Sharp and hysteretic transport characteristics, as those of conventional SNSPD thin films, were reported for high-quality YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ (YBCO) nanowires along with the observation of dark counts [18,19,21].…”