2012/04/04 by Chandra M Natarajan, Chandra M. Natarajan, Michael G. Tanner +3 · 4 citations
Computer Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Cold Atom Physics and Bose-Einstein Condensates #Quantum Information and Cryptography #Superconducting and THz Device Technology #cond-mat.supr-con #physics.ins-det #physics.optics #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/0953-2048/25/6/063001
published as Superconductor Science and Technology 25, 063001 (2012) · 27 pages, 5 figures, Review article preprint version
openalex publication_date 2012/04/04 · arxiv created 2012/04/25 · arxiv updated 2012/04/26 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04
Single-photon detectors based on superconducting nanowires (SSPDs or SNSPDs) have rapidly emerged as a highly promising photon-counting technology for infrared wavelengths. These devices offer high efficiency, low dark counts and excellent timing resolution. In this review, we consider the basic SNSPD operating principle and models of device behaviour. We give an overview of the evolution of SNSPD device design and the improvements in performance which have been achieved. We also evaluate device limitations and noise mechanisms. We survey practical refrigeration technologies and optical coupling schemes for SNSPDs. Finally we summarize promising application areas, ranging from quantum cryptography to remote sensing. Our goal is to capture a detailed snapshot of an emerging superconducting detector technology on the threshold of maturity.