High intrinsic energy resolution photon number resolving detectors

TL;DR

This paper reports on titanium-gold Transition Edge Sensors achieving unprecedented energy resolution for photon detection at telecommunication wavelengths, enhancing quantum technology applications.

Contribution

It introduces a TES with record energy resolution of 0.113 eV at telecom wavelengths and analyzes its thermal and energy resolution properties.

Findings

Achieved 0.113 eV energy resolution at telecom wavelengths

Analyzed uncertainties in energy resolution and photon state assignment

Studied thermal properties to evaluate theoretical limits

Abstract

Transition Edge Sensors (TESs) are characterized by the intrinsic figure of merit to resolve both the energy and the statistical distribution of the incident photons. These properties lead TES devices to become the best single photon detector for quantum technology experiments. For a TES based on titanium and gold has been reached, at telecommunication wavelength, an unprecedented intrinsic energy resolution (0.113 eV). The uncertainties analysis of both energy resolution and photon state assignment has been discussed. The thermal properties of the superconductive device have been studied by fitting the bias curve to evaluate theoretical limit of the energy resolution.