Single-photon detectors combining high efficiency, high detection rates, and ultra-high timing resolution

Single-photon detection with high efficiency, high time resolution, low dark counts, and high photon detection rates is crucial for a wide range of optical measurements. Although efficient detectors have been reported before, combining all performance parameters in a single device remains a challeng...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAPL photonics Vol. 2; no. 11; pp. 111301 - 111301-7
Main Authors Esmaeil Zadeh, Iman, Los, Johannes W. N., Gourgues, Ronan B. M., Steinmetz, Violette, Bulgarini, Gabriele, Dobrovolskiy, Sergiy M., Zwiller, Val, Dorenbos, Sander N.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published AIP Publishing LLC 01.11.2017
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ISSN2378-0967
2378-0967
DOI10.1063/1.5000001

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Summary:Single-photon detection with high efficiency, high time resolution, low dark counts, and high photon detection rates is crucial for a wide range of optical measurements. Although efficient detectors have been reported before, combining all performance parameters in a single device remains a challenge. Here, we show a broadband NbTiN superconducting nanowire detector with an efficiency exceeding 92%, over 150 MHz photon detection rate, and a dark count rate below 130 Hz operated in a Gifford-McMahon cryostat. Furthermore, with careful optimization of the detector design and readout electronics, we reach an ultra-low system timing jitter of 14.80 ps (13.95 ps decoupled) while maintaining high detection efficiencies (>75%).
ISSN:2378-0967
2378-0967
DOI:10.1063/1.5000001