S. N. Dorenbos

Low noise superconducting single photon detectors on silicon

We have fabricated superconducting nanowire single photon detectors made of NbTiN on a silicon substrate. This type of material reduces the dark count rate by a factor of 10 compared to identical NbN detectors, enabling single photon detection with unprecedented signal to noise ratio: we report a noise equivalent power of 10−19 W Hz−1/2 at 4.2 K. The compatibility of our superconducting device with silicon enables its integration with complex structures.

Enhanced telecom wavelength single-photon detection with NbTiN superconducting nanowires on oxidized silicon

Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) have emerged as a highly promising infrared single-photon detector technology. Next-generation devices are being developed with enhanced detection efficiency (DE) at key technological wavelengths via the use of optical cavities. Furthermore, new materials and substrates are being explored for improved fabrication versatility, higher DE, and lower dark counts. We report on the practical performance of packaged NbTiN SNSPDs fabricated on oxidized silicon substrates in the wavelength range from 830 to 1700 nm. We exploit constructive interference from the SiO2/Si interface in order to achieve enhanced front-side fiber-coupled DE of 23.2 % at 1310 nm, at 1 kHz dark count rate, with 60 ps full width half maximum timing jitter.

Photon pair generation in a silicon micro-ring resonator with reverse bias enhancement

Photon sources are fundamental components for any quantum photonic technology. The ability to generate high count-rate and low-noise correlated photon pairs via spontaneous parametric down-conversion using bulk crystals has been the cornerstone of modern quantum optics. However, future practical quantum technologies will require a scalable integration approach, and waveguide-based photon sources with high-count rate and low-noise characteristics will be an essential part of chip-based quantum technologies. Here, we demonstrate photon pair generation through spontaneous four-wave mixing in a silicon micro-ring resonator, reporting separately a maximum coincidence-to-accidental (CAR) ratio of 602 ± 37 (for a generation rate of 827kHz), and a maximum photon pair generation rate of 123 MHz ± 11 kHz (with a CAR value of 37). To overcome free-carrier related performance degradations we have investigated reverse biased p-i-n structures, demonstrating an improvement in the pair generation rate by a factor of up to 2 with negligible impact on CAR.

Quantum interference and manipulation of entanglement in silicon wire waveguide quantum circuits

Integrated quantum photonic waveguide circuits are a promising approach to realizing future photonic quantum technologies. Here, we present an integrated photonic quantum technology platform utilizing the silicon-on- insulator material system, where quantum interference and the manipulation of quantum states of light are demonstrated in components orders of magnitude smaller than previous implementations. Two-photon quantum interference is presented in a multi-mode interference coupler, and the manipulation of entanglement is demonstrated in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, opening the way to an all-silicon photonic quantum technology platform.

Generation of correlated photon pairs in a chalcogenide As2S3 waveguide

We demonstrate a 1550 nm correlated photon-pair source in an integrated glass platform—a chalcogenide As2S3 waveguide. A measured pair coincidence rate of 80 s−1 was achieved using 57 mW of continuous-wave pump. The coincidence to accidental ratio was shown to be limited by spontaneous Raman scattering effects that are expected to be mitigated by using a pulsed pump source.

Superconducting single photon detectors with minimized polarization dependence

Superconducting single photon detectors are usually fabricated in such a way that a polarization dependence of the quantum efficiency is inevitable. Their meandering nanowire leads to a preferential polarization absorption, this is undesired in experiments where the polarization degree of freedom is used. We have designed two new geometries for which the polarization dependence is minimized: a detector with two meander-type parts oriented perpendicular with respect to each other and a spiraling detector. Focusing on individual parts of the detectors shows polarization dependent quantum efficiency. When the detectors are illuminated uniformly, the maximum polarization dependent quantum efficiency cannot be achieved, however, the polarization dependence of the quantum efficiency is minimized.

Low gap superconducting single photon detectors for infrared sensitivity

The quantum efficiency of NbN and NbTiN superconducting single photon detectors drops with decreasing photon energy. A lower gap material would enable single photon detection deeper in the infrared. We have fabricated a NbSi detector and compare its characteristics with a NbTiN device. NbSi (TC≃2 K) has a smaller superconducting gap than NbTiN or NbN (TC≃15 K). We measure the detection efficiency for a wavelength range from 1100 to 1900 nm. In this range the NbSi detector shows a 10-fold increase in relative efficiency with respect to the NbTiN detector.

Position controlled nanowires for infrared single photon emission

We report the experimental demonstration of single-photon and cascaded photon pair emission in the infrared, originating from a single InAsP quantum dot embedded in a standing InP nanowire. A regular array of nanowires is fabricated by epitaxial growth on an electron-beam patterned substrate. Photoluminescence spectra taken on single quantum dots show narrow emission lines. Superconducting single photon detectors, which have a higher sensitivity than avalanche photodiodes in the infrared, enable us to measure auto and cross correlations. Clear antibunching is observed [g(2)(0) = 0.12] and we show a biexciton–exciton cascade, which can be used to create entangled photon pairs.

Impedance model for the polarization-dependent optical absorption of superconducting single-photon detectors

We measured the single-photon detection efficiency of NbN superconducting single-photon de- tectors as a function of the polarization state of the incident light for different wavelengths in the range from 488 nm to 1550 nm. The polarization contrast varies from ∼5% at 488 nm to ∼30% at 1550 nm, in good agreement with numerical calculations. We use an optical-impedance model to describe the absorption for polarization parallel to the wires of the detector. For the extremely lossy NbN material, the absorption can be kept constant by keeping the product of layer thickness and filling factor constant. As a consequence, the maximum possible absorption is independent of filling factor. By illuminating the detector through the substrate, an absorption efficiency of ∼ 70% can be reached for a detector on Si or GaAs, without the need for an optical cavity.

Correlated photon-pair generation in a periodically poled MgO doped stoichiometric lithium tantalate reverse proton exchanged waveguide

We demonstrate photon-pair generation in a reverse proton exchanged waveguide fabricated on a periodically poled magnesium doped stoichiometric lithium tantalate substrate. Detected pairs are generated via a cascaded second order nonlinear process where a pump laser at wavelength of 1.55 μm is first doubled in frequency by second harmonic generation and subsequently downconverted around the same spectral region. Pairs are detected at a rate of 42/s with a coincidence to accidental ratio of 0.7. This cascaded pair generation process is similar to four-wave-mixing where two pump photons annihilate and create a correlated photon pair.