Single-Photon Generation and Detection: Chapter 6. Detectors Based on Superconductors

Karl K. Berggren · Eric A. Dauler · Andrew J. Kerman · Sae-Woo Nam · Danna Rosenberg

nov 2013 · Experimental Methods in the Physical Sciences Libro 45 · Elsevier Inc. Chapters

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Superconducting materials provide a unique opportunity for single-photon detectors. The combination of the strong non-linearity present in the superconducting-metal transition and in Josephson junctions; the unique electrical property of zero resistance; the fast relaxation processes present in many superconducting materials; and the easily engineered optical absorptance of metals results in a system that can be adapted to many photo-detection requirements. As a result of these material features, a variety of detector families have emerged in recent years based on superconducting nanowires, tunnel junctions, weak thermal links, and kinetic-inductive resonators. The detectors variously provide high speed single-photon detection; high-sensitivity in the infrared, optical, UV, or even x-ray wavelengths; and high efficiency. The resulting applications include quantum and classical high-data-rate communication, biological imaging, LIDAR, and VLSI circuit evaluation among others.