Multispectral Superconducting Nanowire Single-Photon Detector Based on Thickness-Modulated Optical Film Stack

Heqing Wang,Peng Hu,Hao Li,Zhen Wang,Xingyu Zhang,Lixing You,Hui Zhou,You Xiao,Weijun Zhang

doi:10.1109/jphot.2022.3151962

Abstract

We report on a multispectral superconducting nanowire single-photon detector based on a thickness-modulated optical film stack. This unique optical film structure provides a modulated reflection bands used for single-photon detection in well-separated multiple wavelength ranges. The fabricated detector shows four detection bands with the system detection efficiencies of 76.2%, 76.9%, 81.3%, and 85.0% at the wavelengths of 505, 610, 1030, and 1550 nm, respectively. A 4-pixel multispectral detector array is then demonstrated, and a photon flux reconstruction experiment is performed to reconstruct the photon flux at the wavelengths of interest. The present multispectral detector enriches the available optical architectures and may have interesting multispectral applications such as multispectral ranging or imaging.

Highlights

Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) have attracted considerable attention due to their high detection efficiency, low dark count rate (DCR), and high detection speed, enabling many applications such as optical quantum computing [1] and fundamental quantum theory verification [2]
This study reports on interesting multispectral SNSPDs realized by fabricating a superconducting nanowire on thickness-modulated (TM) dielectric mirrors [21]
This unique optical film structure provides a series of modulated reflection bands used in highly efficient single-photon detectors

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) have attracted considerable attention due to their high detection efficiency, low dark count rate (DCR), and high detection speed, enabling many applications such as optical quantum computing [1] and fundamental quantum theory verification [2]. Broadband SNSPDs with high efficiencies across wide bandwidths have been developed, relying on the broadband reflectivity of metallic mirrors or other broadband optical structures [14,15,16,17], which may be helpful for photon counting spectroscopy applications. This study reports on interesting multispectral SNSPDs realized by fabricating a superconducting nanowire on thickness-modulated (TM) dielectric mirrors [21]. This unique optical film structure provides a series of modulated reflection bands used in highly efficient single-photon detectors. The present multispectral detector and array enrich the SNSPD architectures and may have interesting multispectral applications

OPTICAL DESIGN

SINGLE-PIXEL DETECTOR

SPECTRUM RECONSTRUCTION WITH A 4-PIXEL ARRAY

Findings

CONCLUSION