Multimode-fiber-coupled superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors with high detection efficiency and time resolution
- 11 December 2019
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Optica Publishing Group in Applied Optics
- Vol. 58 (36), 9803-9807
- https://doi.org/10.1364/ao.58.009803
Abstract
In the past decade, superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) have gradually become an indispensable part of any demanding quantum optics experiment. Until now, most SNSPDs have been coupled to single-mode fibers. SNSPDs coupled to multimode fibers have shown promising efficiencies but have yet to achieve high time resolution. For a number of applications ranging from quantum nano-photonics to bio-optics, high efficiency and high time resolution are desired at the same time. In this paper, we demonstrate the role of polarization on the efficiency of multimode-fiber-coupled detectors and fabricated high-performance 20 µm, 25 µm, and 50 µm diameter detectors targeted for visible, near-infrared, and telecom wavelengths. A custom-built setup was used to simulate realistic experiments with randomized modes in the fiber. We achieved over 80% system efficiency and $ {\lt} {20}\;{\rm ps}$ timing jitter for 20 µm SNSPDs. Also, we realized 70% system efficiency and $ {\lt} {20}\;{\rm ps}$ timing jitter for 50 µm SNSPDs. The high-efficiency multimode-fiber-coupled SNSPDs with unparalleled time resolution will benefit various quantum optics experiments and applications in the future.
Funding Information
- China Scholarship Council (201603170247)
- Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (680-91-202)
- Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (777222)
This publication has 28 references indexed in Scilit:
- Dual-lens beam compression for optical coupling in superconducting nanowire single-photon detectorsScience Bulletin, 2015
- Multimode Fiber Coupled Superconductor Nanowire Single-Photon DetectorIEEE Photonics Journal, 2014
- Bright single-photon sources in bottom-up tailored nanowiresNature Communications, 2012
- Superconducting single photon detectors with minimized polarization dependenceApplied Physics Letters, 2008
- Entangled Photon Pairs from Semiconductor Quantum DotsPhysical Review Letters, 2006
- Creating single-atom and single-photon sources from entangled atomic ensemblesPhysical Review A, 2002
- Efficient Source of Single Photons: A Single Quantum Dot in a Micropost MicrocavityPhysical Review Letters, 2002
- Stable Solid-State Source of Single PhotonsPhysical Review Letters, 2000
- New High-Intensity Source of Polarization-Entangled Photon PairsPhysical Review Letters, 1995
- Resolution limits for imaging through turbid media with diffuse lightOptics Letters, 1993