Two-dimensional cuprate nanodetector with single photon sensitivity at T = 20 K

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a two-dimensional cuprate nanodetector capable of single-photon detection at 20K, significantly higher than traditional superconducting detectors, using novel fabrication and nanopatterning techniques.

Contribution

It introduces a high-TC cuprate nanodetector with single-photon sensitivity at 20K, surpassing the temperature limits of conventional superconducting detectors.

Findings

Single-photon sensitivity achieved at 20K.

Detection efficiency of 10^(-4).

Nanodetectors fabricated using van der Waals and light ion irradiation techniques.

Abstract

Detecting light at the single-photon level is one of the pillars of emergent photonic technologies. This is realized through state-of-the-art superconducting detectors that offer efficient, broadband and fast response. However, the use of superconducting thin films with low TC limits their operation temperature below 4K. In this work, we demonstrate proof-of-concept nanodetectors based on exfoliated, two-dimensional cuprate superconductor Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8-{\delta} (BSCCO) that exhibit single-photon sensitivity at telecom wavelength at a record temperature of T = 20K. These non-optimized devices exhibit a slow (ms) reset time and a low detection efficiency (10^(-4)). We realize the elusive prospect of single-photon sensitivity on a high-TC nanodetector thanks to a novel approach, combining van der Waals fabrication techniques and a non-invasive nanopatterning based on light ion irradiation. This result paves the way for broader application of single-photon technologies, relaxing the cryogenic constraints for single-photon detection at telecom wavelength.