Dong Shuyu, Koh Darren Ming Zhi, Martinelli Filippo, Brosseau Pierre J E, Petrović Milos, Shen Lijiong, Adamo Giorgio, Vetlugin Anton N, Sidorova Mariia, Kurtsiefer Christian, Soci Cesare
School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 639798, Singapore, Singapore.
Centre for Disruptive Photonic Technologies, TPI, Nanyang Technological University, 637371, Singapore, Singapore.
Sci Rep. 2024 Dec 28;14(1):30891. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-81776-2.
The outstanding performance of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) has expanded their application areas from quantum technologies to astronomy, space communication, imaging, and LiDAR. As a result, there has been a surge in demand for these devices, that commercial products cannot readily meet. Consequently, more research and development efforts are being directed towards establishing in-house SNSPD manufacturing, leveraging existing nano-fabrication capabilities that can be customized and fine-tuned for specific needs. We report on the implementation of an end-to-end workflow for SNSPD fabrication and characterization, from superconducting film growth to meander nanowire fabrication and their integration with electrical readout circuits and optical testbeds. An essential aspect of this research involved identifying the key parameters of our workflow and developing reliable procedures for their optimization. As an outcome, the ab initio development of SNSPD technology yielded devices with characteristics comparable to commercial devices at a wavelength of 1550 nm, making them well-suited for telecommunication and integrated quantum systems. This report aims to provide useful insights to those entering the field and accelerate the establishment of superconducting detector technology and its application across various domains.
超导纳米线单光子探测器（SNSPD）的卓越性能已将其应用领域从量子技术扩展到天文学、空间通信、成像和激光雷达。因此，对这些器件的需求激增，而商业产品难以满足这一需求。因此，更多的研发工作正朝着建立内部SNSPD制造方向发展，利用现有的纳米制造能力，这些能力可以针对特定需求进行定制和微调。我们报告了从超导薄膜生长到曲折纳米线制造，以及它们与电读出电路和光学测试平台集成的SNSPD制造和表征的端到端工作流程的实施情况。这项研究的一个重要方面涉及确定我们工作流程的关键参数，并开发可靠的优化程序。结果，SNSPD技术的从头开发产生了在1550纳米波长下特性与商业器件相当的器件，使其非常适合电信和集成量子系统。本报告旨在为进入该领域的人员提供有用的见解，并加速超导探测器技术及其在各个领域的应用的建立。
