Superconducting nanowire single photon detection system for space applications

Abstract

Superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs) have advanced various frontier scientific and technological fields such as quantum key distribution and deep space communications. However, limited by available cooling technology, all past experimental demonstrations have had ground-based applications. In this work, we demonstrate a SNSPD system using a hybrid cryocooler that could ultimately be compatible with space applications. With a minimum operational temperature of 2.8 K, this SNSPD system presents a maximum system detection efficiency of over 50% and a timing jitter of 48 ps, which paves the way for various space applications.

Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors integrated with tantalum pentoxide waveguides

“…We determine the latter in an independent self-referencing measurement between far-separated laser pulse signals as 1.5 ps, which is small relative to the SNSPD-jitter. Notably, our jitter value for SNSPDs on Ta 2 O 5 -waveguides is small compared to previously reported values for NbTiN-SNSPDs using signal amplification at room-temperature 21 , 23 , 25 , 61 , 62 . However, using cryogenic low noise amplifiers we believe that this value can further be reduced, as previously demonstrated for NbTiN-SNSPDs yielding sub 10-ps jitter 29 .…”

“…Here we show that integrating SNSPDs made from niobium titanium nitride (NbTiN) thin films with tantalum pentoxide (Ta 2 O 5 ) photonic integrated circuits is extremely well-suited to satisfy both detector and PIC demands of future photonic quantum technology implementations. NbTiN SNSPDs have shown outstanding performance in terms of both high-speed detection, due to the low kinetic inductance of NbTiN nanowires 20 , 21 , as well as high signal-to-noise ratio 22 as a result of extremely low dark count rates 23 , 24 , suitable even for most demanding applications 25 – 27 . Additionally, NbTiN detectors have recently shown high detection efficiencies and low timing jitter simultaneously, allowing for extremely precise photon-correlation measurements 28 , 29 .…”

Real- and Q-space travelling: multi-dimensional distribution maps of crystal-lattice strain (ɛ044) and tilt of suspended monolithic silicon nanowire structures

“…In the past few decades, the wide field of applications of electronic devices and the miniaturization of materials have enabled the study and development of devices such as microand nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS and NEMS). Thanks to their specific advantages in functionality and performance, nano-electromechanical systems such as sensors, actuators and transistors find application in many sectors including biomedicine (Wu et al, 2018;Parameswaran et al, 2018) and aerospace (George, 2003;You et al, 2018). However, NEMS often require architectures that involve complex manufacturing and packaging processes that alter the material's structure by introducing defects, strain and tilt, which, in the long run, influence their performance and can consequently reduce their lifetime dramatically (Dommann & Neels, 2009).…”

Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors for quantum information

“…Recently, a prototype cryocooler, with a two-stage high-frequency pulse-tube cryocooler and a 4 He Joule-Thomson cooler driven by linear compressors, reached a minimum temperature of 2.6 K with an input power of 320 W and a weight of 55 kg. The SNSPD hosted by this cryocooler had an SDE of 50% and a TJ of 48 ps [135]. Although this performance is encouraging, there are still several steps to ensure the practicality and cost efficiency of this cooler.…”