Efficient Single Photon Absorption by Optimized Superconducting Nanowire Geometries

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that superconducting nanowire single photon detectors can achieve optimal photon absorption at fill-factors below 100%, supported by simulations and high-performance experimental results.

Contribution

It introduces optimized nanowire geometries that improve photon absorption efficiency at lower fill-factors, combining simulation and experimental validation.

Findings

Optimal photon absorption occurs at fill-factors much less than 100%.

Experimental detectors show high performance with NbTiN on oxidized silicon.

Simulation results guide the design of more efficient superconducting nanowire detectors.

Abstract

We report on simulation results that shows optimum photon absorption by superconducting nanowires can happen at a fill-factor that is much less than 100%. We also present experimental results on high performance of our superconducting nanowire single photon detectors realized using NbTiN on oxidized silicon.