A scalable multi-photon coincidence detector based on superconducting nanowires

Coincidence detection of single photons is crucial in numerous quantum technologies and usually requires multiple time-resolved single-photon detectors. However, the electronic readout becomes a major challenge when the measurement basis scales to large numbers of spatial modes. Here, we address thi...

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Veröffentlicht in:Nature nanotechnology 2018-07, Vol.13 (7), p.596-601
Hauptverfasser: Zhu, Di, Zhao, Qing-Yuan, Choi, Hyeongrak, Lu, Tsung-Ju, Dane, Andrew E., Englund, Dirk, Berggren, Karl K.
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Sprache:eng
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Zusammenfassung:Coincidence detection of single photons is crucial in numerous quantum technologies and usually requires multiple time-resolved single-photon detectors. However, the electronic readout becomes a major challenge when the measurement basis scales to large numbers of spatial modes. Here, we address this problem by introducing a two-terminal coincidence detector that enables scalable readout of an array of detector segments based on superconducting nanowire microstrip transmission line. Exploiting timing logic, we demonstrate a sixteen-element detector that resolves all 136 possible single-photon and two-photon coincidence events. We further explore the pulse shapes of the detector output and resolve up to four-photon events in a four-element device, giving the detector photon-number-resolving capability. This new detector architecture and operating scheme will be particularly useful for multi-photon coincidence detection in large-scale photonic integrated circuits. Superconducting nanowires can be engineered to realize scalable coincidence detectors of single photons.
ISSN:1748-3387
1748-3395
DOI:10.1038/s41565-018-0160-9