Photon number resolvability of multi-pixel superconducting nanowire single photon detectors using a single flux quantum circuit

Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) are typical switching devices capable of detecting single photons with almost 100% detection efficiency. However, they cannot determine the exact number of incident photons during a detection event. Multi-pixel SNSPDs employing multiple read-out channels can provide photon number resolvability (PNR), but they require increased cooling power and costly multi-channel electronic systems. In this work, a single-flux quantum (SFQ) circuit is employed, and PNR based on multi-pixel SNSPDs is successfully demonstrated. A multi-input magnetically coupled DC/SFQ converter (MMD2Q) circuit with a mutual inductance M is used to combine and record signals from a multi-pixel SNSPD device. The designed circuit is capable of discriminating the amplitude of the combined signals in accuracy of Φ₀/M with Φ₀ being a single magnetic flux quantum. By employing the MMD2Q circuit, the discrimination of up to 40 photons can be simulated. A 4-parallel-input MMD2Q circuit is fabricated, and a PNR of 3 is successfully demonstrated for an SNSPD array with one channel reserved for the functional verification. The results confirm that an MMD2Q circuit is an effective tool for implementing PNR with multi-pixel SNSPDs.     

微波近场显微镜及其在超导薄膜和衬底材料特性无损检测上的应用

高温超导薄膜的微波性能受制备工艺和衬底材料性能的影响,常常出现空间不均匀分布,因此,无损检测大面积超导薄膜及衬底材料的微波性能,研究影响局域微波性能的因素,是高温超导微波器件应用研究中的一个重要方面．我们设计和制造了一套同轴谐振腔型微波近场扫描显微镜,利用该显微镜研究了金属薄膜样品微波表面电阻和介质材料的介电常数的空间分布,给出了其空间分辨率并分析了影响空间分辨率的因素．利用这套微波近场扫描显微镜,对大面积ＬａＡｌＯ３单晶衬底材料介电常数的空间分布进行了测量,并分析了其测量精度．最后,利用这套微波近场扫描显微镜,研究了ＹＢａＣｕＯ薄膜平面微波器件的微波表面电阻的分布情况,对影响其局域微波性能的因素做了初步分析     

可控数目本征结的制备

基于传统的mesa结构制备工艺 ,我们通过精确控制实验参数的手段 ,在Bi2 Sr2 CaCu2 O8+x单晶上实现了仅含有少数几个结的本征结的制备工艺 ,结的临界电流具有很好的一致性 .结的数目最少达到 2个 (包括表面结) ;结数目控制误差为±1个 .     

Fabrication and characterization of on-chip silicon spherical-like microcavities with high Q-factors

An effective way to fabricate high-quality (Q) silicon microcavities on-chip is proposed and studied.Our fabrication technique consists of two significant steps:(1) patterning a special silicon micro-pillar by Bosch processes and (2) subsequent reflow of the pillar into a spherical-like microcavity using a laser pulse at 532 nm.Its shape and surface roughness are characterized using a scanning electron microscope and an atomic force microscope.The root-mean-square roughness of the surface is abo...     

Superconducting anisotropy and vortex pinning in CaKFe_4As_4 and KCa_2Fe_4As_4F_2

The vortex pinning determining the current carrying capacity of a superconductor is an important property to the applications of superconducting materials.For layered superconductors,the vortex pinning can be enhanced by a strong interlayer interaction in accompany with a suppression of superconducting anisotropy,which remains to be investigated in iron based superconductors(FeSCs)with the layered structure.Here,based on the transport and magnetic torque measurements,we experimentally investigate the vortex pinning in two bilayer FeSCs,CaKFe₄As₄(Fe1144)and KCa₂Fe₄As4F₂(Fe12442),and compare their superconducting anisotropyγ.While the anisotropyγ≈3 for Fe1144 is much smaller thanγ≈15 in Fe12442 around Tc,a higher flux pinning energy as evidenced by a higher critical current density is found in Fe1144,as compared with the case of Fe12442.In combination with the literature data of Ba_0.72K_0.28Fe2As₂ and Nd Fe As_O0.82F_0.18,we reveal an anti-correlation between the pinning energy and the superconducting anisotropy in these Fe SCs.Our results thus suggest that the interlayer interaction can not be neglected when considering the vortex pinning in Fe SCs.     

A Silicon Shallow-Ridge Waveguide Integrated Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detector Towards Quantum Photonic Circuits

A silicon shallow-ridge waveguide integrated superconducting nanowire single photon detector is designed and fabricated.At the bias current of 11.6μA,4% on-chip detection efficiency near 1550 nm wavelength is achieved with the dark count rate of 3 Hz and a timing jitter of 75 ps.This device shows the potential application in the integration of superconducting nanowire single photon detectors with a complex quantum photonic circuit.     

Photon-counting chirped amplitude modulation lidar system using superconducting nanowire single-photon detector at 1550-nm wavelength

We demonstrate a photon-counting chirped amplitude modulation(CAM) light detection and ranging(lidar) system incorporating a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector(SNSPD) and operated at a wavelength of 1550 nm.The distance accuracy of the lidar system was determined by the CAM bandwidth and signal-to-noise ratio(SNR) of an intermediate frequency(IF) signal. Owing to a short dead time(10 ns) and negligible dark count rate(70 Hz) of the SNSPD, the obtained IF signal attained an SNR of 42 d B and the direct distance accuracy was improved to 3 mm when the modulation bandwidth of the CAM signal was 240 MHz and the modulation period was 1 ms.     

基于超导纳米线单光子探测技术的成像研究进展

超导纳米线单光子探测器(SNSPD)作为一种新型的单光子探测器,相比于传统半导体或超导单光子探测器,具有高探测效率、低暗计数率、低时间抖动、高计数率和宽谱响应等优势.这使其可以应用于诸多领域,如量子通信、量子光源表征、激光测距、成像雷达等.本文将对SNSPD做一个简单的介绍,并着重介绍SNSPD在成像方面的应用进展,主...     

核磁共振YBCO表面探测线圈的设计与制备

本文采用２０×２０ｍｍ的ＹＢＣＯ／ＬａＡｌＯ３薄膜,采用传统的光刻技术制备出了可用于探测核磁共振的超导线圈．并且在７７Ｋ的低温下测量的其ｆ０及Ｑ值．其ｆ０为３５２ＭＨｚ,Ｑ值为１５０．本文还介绍了器件的设计和分析考虑、器件的加工工艺及实验结果讨论     

光量子信息利器——超导纳米线单光子探测器

利用超导宏观量子效应与环境电磁场的相互作用,超导探测器可以实现量子极限灵敏度探测。超导纳米线单光子探测器(SNSPD)具备高探测效率、低暗计数等优异的性能,已经在量子信息、深空通信、激光雷达等领域得到了广泛的应用,并为中国“九章”光量子计算原型机、量子密钥分发等领域达到国际领先水平提供了核心探测技术支持。文章简述了SNSPD的基本原理,对其性能、制冷技术、应用以及常见的问题等进行了介绍,并对未来发展做了展望。