Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) have become the highest-performing type of single-photon detector, with demonstrations of near-unity detection efficiency, GHz count rate, and a broad wavelength range from UV to mid-IR. Scaling these detectors to large areas and pixel counts with minimal tradeoffs in their detection properties would expand the use case of SNSPDs to applications like astronomical spectroscopy, quantum imaging, or dark matter searches. In this talk, I will discuss a thermal coupling scheme enabling these large detector arrays and several array architectures to target the requirements of specific applications.
Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) have become the gold standard for single photon detection at telecom wavelengths, and their high efficiency, high dynamic range, low timing jitter, and low dark count rates make them ideal for quantum applications. Many use cases benefit from arrays of SNSPDs, whether it’s to enable number resolution, to access higher maximum count rates, to cover larger active areas, or to provide imaging or spectroscopy capabilities. SNSPD array design typically involves a tradeoff between number of channels, active area, and timing properties. In this talk, I will discuss several applications of SNSPD arrays and describe how the applications’ different requirements affect the array and system-level design choices.
Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detectors (SNSPDs) excel at a wide variety of performance criteria for single photon counting. They combine unprecedented high detection efficiency, high timing resolution, high count rates, low intrinsic dark count rates, and are sensitive to ultraviolet through mid-infrared single-photons. At JPL, we are working on several projects to push the performance limits of SNSPDs to achieve higher maximum count rates, larger active areas, higher timing resolution, and a wider spectral range. Our recent advances enable new applications for dark matter detection, imaging, and space-to-ground communication and provide insight into the fundamental physics of single-photon detection in superconducting nanowires.
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