Mid-infrared single photon detector with superconductor Mo0.8Si0.2 nanowire

• 作者: Qi Chen Rui Ge Labao Zhang Feiyan Li Biao Zhang Feifei Jin Hang Han Yue Dai Guanglong He Yue Fei Xiaohan Wang Hao Wang Xiaoqing Jia Qingyuan Zhao Xuecou Tu Lin Kang Jian Chen Peiheng Wu
• 来源期刊: 科学通报（英文版）
• 年，卷（期）: 2021,（10）
• 所属期刊栏目: SHORT COMMUNICATIONS
• 页码范围: 965-968
• 页数: 4页
• 语种: 英文

摘要

Mid-infrared (mid-IR) single photon detectors have broad applications in science and technology, such as biomolecular spectrum analysis [1] and astronomical observations [2].Unfortunately, it is much more difficult than detecting near-infrared photons due to the significantly reduced energy of mid-IR single photon.Superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs) have shown a great potential in mid-IR single photon detection relied on the low energy gap (～meV) of superconductor materials.In 2011, Marsili et al.[3] extended the response bandwidth of SNSPD to 0.5-5 μm band by reducing the width of NbN nanowire to 30 nm, resulting in a saturated internal detection efficiency at wavelengths λ ＜ 3 μm.The reduced width of 30 nm increased the probability of the transition from the superconducting state to the non-superconducting state.In 2019, Verma et al.[4] reported a SNSPD based on WSi films, a superconductor material with low energy gap, achiving a response cut-off wavelength at 9.9 μm.The lower energy gap of WSi enhanced the efficiency of the photon-induced Cooper pair decoupling.As can be seen above,it is an effective way to develop mid-IR SNSPD through ultranarrow nanowires patterned on superconductor films with low energy gap.