Fast, high-efficiency Photon Number Resolving Parallel SNSPD
We are thrilled to present new research from a collaboration between ID Quantique and GAP at the University of Geneva, recently published in Physical Review Applied.
This paper, titled “Fast High-Efficiency Photon-Number-Resolving Parallel Superconducting Nanowire Single-Photon Detector” shows a high-performance SNSPD based on a novel parallel design enabling fast, high-efficiency photon-number resolution (PNR), and demonstrates how the detector can be used to reconstruct the photon-number statistics of a light source. This paper represents a significant advancement in the field of photon-number-resolving single-photon detectors, a technology with broad applications in quantum optics ranging from photonic quantum computing to improved heralded single-photon sources.
ABSTRACT
Photon-number-resolving (PNR) single-photon detectors are an enabling technology in many areas, such as photonic quantum computing, nonclassical light-source characterization, and quantum imaging. Here, we demonstrate high-efficiency PNR detectors using a parallel superconducting nanowire single-photon-detector (P-SNSPD) architecture that does not suffer from crosstalk between the pixels and that is free of latching.
The behavior of the detector is modeled and used to predict the possible outcomes given a certain number of incoming photons. We apply our model to a four-pixel P-SNSPD with a system detection efficiency of 92.5%. We also demonstrate how this detector allows reconstructing the photon-number statistics of a coherent source of light, which paves the way towards the characterization of the photon statistics of other types of light source using a single detector.
We are also delighted to announce that detectors like those mentioned in the paper are commercially available from ID Quantique! They have been added to our flagship ID281 Superconducting Nanowire series of detectors – see the SNSPD product page or call us for more information.
It is also worth mentioning that we have made further improvements to these detectors since the research described in the paper was published, allowing even higher speeds and PNR fidelities. We are excited to bring these cutting-edge technologies to enable and enhance your research and applications. Get in touch with us today!
