Published October 2007 | Version v1
Journal article Metadata-only

An energy-resolving superconducting nanowire photon counter

Creators

  • 1. German Aerospace Center (DLR), D-12489 Berlin (Germany)
  • 2. Institute of Micro- and Nano-Electronic Systems, University of Karlsruhe, D-76187 Karlsruhe (Germany)
  • 3. Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), D-10587 Berlin (Germany)
  • 4. State Pedagogical University, 119435 Moscow (Russian Federation)

Description

We report on the energy-resolving capability of a superconducting NbN nanowire photon counter, which is read out by a superconducting quantum interference device. For counters operated at 6.5 K, a resolution of 0.55 eV was measured in the wavelength range from 1000 to 1500 nm (photon energies 1.2-0.8 eV) along with a counting rate of 2 MHz. The best energy resolution occurred in the spectral range where the quantum efficiency of the counter began to decrease with the wavelength. The results are explained by the change of the detection scenario from the hot-spot formation to unbinding of vortex-antivortex pairs

Additional details

Identifiers

DOI
10.1088/0953-2048/20/10/005;
PII
S0953-2048(07)51187-5;

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Superconductor Science and Technology
Journal Volume
20
Journal Issue
10
Journal Page Range
p. 919-924
ISSN
0953-2048
CODEN
SUSTEF

INIS

Country of Publication
United Kingdom
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
39029183
Subject category
S75: CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY;
Descriptors DEI
COUNTING RATES; ENERGY RESOLUTION; EV RANGE 01-10; HOT SPOTS; MHZ RANGE 100-1000; NIOBIUM NITRIDES; PHOTONS; QUANTUM EFFICIENCY; READOUT SYSTEMS; SQUID DEVICES; SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
Descriptors DEC
BOSONS; EFFICIENCY; ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY; ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES; ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT; ELEMENTARY PARTICLES; ENERGY RANGE; EQUIPMENT; EV RANGE; FLUXMETERS; FREQUENCY RANGE; MASSLESS PARTICLES; MEASURING INSTRUMENTS; MHZ RANGE; MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT; NIOBIUM COMPOUNDS; NITRIDES; NITROGEN COMPOUNDS; PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; PNICTIDES; REFRACTORY METAL COMPOUNDS; RESOLUTION; SUPERCONDUCTING DEVICES; TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS