Single Photon Detection in the Near-and Mid-Infrared by Using Superconductive Nanowires

目的研制新一代50 nm以下的超导纳米线单光子探测器（SNSPDs），从而显著提高近红外和中红外探测效率。我们将利用改进的纳米工艺和低温特性来开发和测试更窄的导线。我们将同时提高对超导纳米线器件物理的理解，使纳米线光电探测器技术进一步发展。超导纳米线是研究量子力学、热力学和电磁相互作用的一个有趣的物理系统。当超导载流子的量子力学波函数从二维限制到一维时，这项工作将探索的宽度结构将提供新的见解。此外，这项工作将强调纳米制造的局限性，要求开发具有数十纳米宽度和几纳米线宽均匀性的大面积结构。这项工作还将提供近红外和中红外单光子探测器，甚至光子数分辨探测器，具有精确的时间分辨率，将推进量子光学，遥感和天文学的研究。更广泛的影响在近红外和中红外波段，snspd的开发效率都有所提高，将为从天文学到环境监测等应用提供传感器。此外，这项工作将提供宝贵的教育机会，在纳米制造，纳米光学和固体物理的研究生和本科生在课堂上和实验室。最后，这项计划将透过公开讲座，让公众有机会了解纳米科技的其中一个重要应用。

ObjectiveWe will create a new generation of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) with widths below 50 nm, thus improving dramatically on demonstrated detector efficiency at both near- and mid-infrared wavelengths. We will develop and test narrower wires by using improved nanofabrication and low-temperature characterization. We will simultaneously develop improved understanding of the superconductive nanowire device physics to enable further advances in nanowire-photodetector technology.Intellectual MeritSuperconducting nanowires are an interesting physical system for studying quantum mechanical, thermodynamic and electromagnetic interactions. Structures at the widths that will be explored in this work will provide new insights as the quantum mechanical wavefunction of the superconducting charge carriers is restricted from two, toward just one dimension. Additionally, this work will stress the limits of nanofabrication, requiring large-area structures to be developed with tens-of-nanometer widths and line-width uniformity of a few-nanometers. This work will also provide near- and mid-infrared single-photon detectors, and even photon-number-resolving detectors, with exquisite timing resolution that will advance research in quantum optics, remote sensing and astronomy.Broader ImpactsDevelopment of SNSPDs with increased efficiencies, both in the near- and mid-infrared, will provide sensors for applications ranging from astronomy to environmental monitoring. Also, this work will provide valuable educational opportunities in nanofabrication, nano-optics, and solid-state physics to graduate students and undergraduates in the classroom and in the laboratory. Finally, this project will create an opportunity for the general public to learn about one of the important applications of nanotechnology through a public lecture.