Modelling response time contrasts in superconducting nanowire single photon detectors

TL;DR

This paper presents a generalized numerical model for superconducting nanowire single photon detectors, analyzing their response time and sensitivity across different materials and biasing conditions, highlighting the potential of high-temperature superconductors for ultrafast detection.

Contribution

The paper develops a comprehensive numerical model that incorporates thermodynamic properties to predict detection and latching phases in SNSPDs for various materials.

Findings

Low temperature superconductors are more sensitive to photons at various wavelengths.

High temperature superconductors can achieve single-photon detection under specific biasing conditions.

Certain HTS materials offer ultrafast response times suitable for practical applications.

Abstract

Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detector (SNSPD) emerges as a potential candidate in the multiple fields requiring sensitive and fast photodetection. While nanowires of low temperature superconducting detectors are mature with commercial solutions, other material options with higher transition temperature and faster responses are currently being explored. Towards this goal, we develop a generalized numerical model that incorporates the thermodynamic properties of the superconducting material and identifies the minimum resolvable photon count for a given bias and device parameters. A phase diagram of detection and latching phases with the minimum number of photons as a function of biasing current and biasing temperature for each material system is presented. We show using the developed model that while low temperature superconducting (LTS) nanowires are more sensitive to the incident photon at different wavelengths, the ultimate limit of a single photon can be achieved using high temperature superconducting (HTS) material such as YBa2Cu3O7-{\delta}, albeit at stringent biasing conditions. On the contrary, ultrafast response time with three orders of magnitude smaller response times can be achieved in select HTS materials making it an appealing for several practical applications.