Superconducting Nanowire Single-Photon Detectors: Maturity Stage and Current Trends

In 2001, Gregory Gol'tsmann and colleagues at the Moscow State Pedagogical University and the University of Rochester published a seminal paper demonstrating that single photons could generate resistive hotspots in ultrathin superconducting niobium nitride strips. This was the official birth of the superconducting nanowire single-photon detector, the SNSPD, an instrument that revolutionized our capabilities of detecting photons, particularly in the near infrared, and enabled applications and discoveries in a large variety of fields.

Today, SNSPDs have reached the maturity stage and are available commercially from several companies. However, innovative architectural design can provide new opportunities for further improving this technology. In this webinar hosted by the Photonic Detection Technical Group, Marco Colangelo will introduce the SNSPD working principle and showcase the latest results from the community. Dr. Colangelo will then focus on a new readout architecture that enables photon number resolution and all-rounder performance.

Subject Matter Level: Introductory - Assumes little previous knowledge of the topic

What You Will Learn:
• Working Principles of SNSPDs: Understanding the fundamental mechanism behind superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors and how they detect single photons with high efficiency, particularly in the near-infrared spectrum.
• Recent Advancements in SNSPD Technology: Insights into the latest technological breakthroughs and performance improvements in SNSPDs, such as enhanced detection efficiency, timing resolution, and noise reduction.

Who Should Attend:
• Photonics and Quantum Technology Researchers: Professionals and academics involved in fields such as quantum optics, quantum communication, and photonics who are interested in the latest advancements in photon detection technology.
• Engineers and Developers of Detector Technologies: Engineers working on the development of advanced sensing and detection systems who seek to learn about new architectures and applications of SNSPDs in various industries.

About the Presenter: Marco Colangelo from Northeastern University

Marco Colangelo is a tenure-track assistant professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at Northeastern University. He received his doctoral degree in Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in June 2023. His research interests include superconducting devices for single-photon detection and microwave signal processing at cryogenic temperatures for application in quantum networking and computing.