Single Photon Detectors
In the framework of the project to develop superconducting microwave microresonators (MKIDs) for neutrino physics we are also designing single near-IR photon detectors with photon number resolution.
The sensors that we are aiming for with this R&D work could have potential applications in quantum optics, quantum communication and quantum metrology and would benefit from the ability to easily microwave multiplex large arrays of detectors.
These devices have achieved so far an energy resolution FWHM of 0.6 eV on the single photon peak, resolving events with up to 4 photons. Further work is necessary to increase the detection efficiency.
Kilo-pixel arrays of such devices may have a large impact on a wide range of fields from quantum technologies to astrophysics.
In the context of this work, we are optimizing the design and developing new materials to produce the detectors. This is done in collaboration with the Micro-ElectroMechanical Systems at Fondazione Bruno Kessler (Povo, Trento, Italy) and the QN Metrologia quantistica e nanotecnologie at Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica. In addition to the study of superconducting films of Ti/TiN multilayer, we also plan to test devices made of multilayers of Ti/Al.
1. R Mezzena, M Faverzani, E Ferri, A Giachero, B Margesin, A Nucciotti, A Puiu and A Vinante. "Development of Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors for IR Single-Photon Countingr", Journal of low temperature physics, 199:73–79, 2020. DOI
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| reproduced from R Mezzena, Journal of low temperature physics, 199:73–79, 2020. DOI |