2025/11/25 by Hampel, Benedikt, Kuznesof, Daniel, Mueller, Andrew S. +12
#Applied Physics (physics.app-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Instrumentation and Detectors (physics.ins-det) #Optics (physics.optics) #Quantum Physics (quant-ph) #Superconductivity (cond-mat.supr-con)
paper · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2511.20868
Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) are among the most sensitive single-photon detectors available and have the potential to transform fields ranging from infrared astrophysics to molecular spectroscopy. However, extending their performance into the mid-infrared spectral region - crucial for applications such as exoplanet transit spectroscopy and vibrational fingerprinting of molecules - has remained a major challenge, primarily due to material limitations and scalability constraints. Here, we report on the development of SNSPDs based on tungsten germanide, a novel material system that combines high infrared sensitivity with compatibility for large-scale fabrication. Our detectors exhibit saturated internal detection efficiency at wavelengths up to 29 μm. This advance enables scalable, high-performance single-photon detection in a spectral region that was previously inaccessible, opening new frontiers in remote sensing, thermal imaging, environmental monitoring, molecular physics, and astronomy.