Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Jin-Woo Chae, Jin-Hun Kim, Youn-Chang Jeong, Yoon-Ho Kim
Summary: In this work, a tunable up-conversion single-photon detector module that covers the complete telecom C band is reported, making it suitable for quantum communication networks based on sharing wavelength-multiplexed entangled photons.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Marco Colangelo, Alexander B. Walter, Boris A. Korzh, Ekkehart Schmidt, Bruce Bumble, Adriana E. Lita, Andrew D. Beyer, Jason P. Allmaras, Ryan M. Briggs, Alexander G. Kozorezov, Emma E. Wollman, Matthew D. Shaw, Karl K. Berggren
Summary: The optimization of superconducting materials and the improvement of nanofabrication process have enabled the demonstration of large-area superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) with unity internal detection efficiency (IDE) in the mid-infrared (mid-IR) band. The approach yields large-area meanders with minimal line-width roughness and reduced impact from constrictions, paving the way for high-efficiency SNSPDs in the mid-IR band with potential impacts on astronomy, imaging, and physical chemistry.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lingdong Kong, Qingyuan Zhao, Hui Wang, Jiawei Guo, Haiyangbo Lu, Hao Hao, Shuya Guo, Xuecou Tu, Labao Zhang, Xiaoqing Jia, Lin Kang, Xinglong Wu, Jian Chen, Peiheng Wu
Summary: The spectrometer without wavelength multiplexing optics reduces complexity and physical footprint, achieving broadband spectral responsivity and high resolution. Additionally, precise time-of-flight measurements enable multifunctional LiDAR systems.
Article
Physics, Applied
Rintaro Fujimoto, Shoichi Murakami, Toshiki Kobayashi, Rikizo Ikuta, Shigehito Miki, Shigeyuki Miyajima, Masahiro Yabuno, Fumihiro China, Hirotaka Terai, Nobuyuki Imoto, Takashi Yamamoto
Summary: In this study, we demonstrated the coincidence measurement of quantum light using superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors with a single-flux-quantum (SFQ) circuit as a signal processing circuit. Through quantum state tomography of a polarization-entangled photon pair, the evaluation of the detection system based on the SFQ coincidence circuit showed an estimated fidelity almost equivalent to that obtained with a detection system based on a conventional time-to-digital converter.
APPLIED PHYSICS EXPRESS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lingdong Kong, Qingyuan Zhao, Hui Wang, Yanghui Huang, Shi Chen, Hao Hao, Jiawei Guo, Xuecou Tu, Labao Zhang, Xiaoqing Jia, Lin Kang, Jian Chen, Peiheng Wu
Summary: This research utilized a tapered superconducting nanowire single-photon detector to create a probabilistic energy-to-amplitude mapping, achieving spectral resolving capacity. Experimental observations demonstrated distinctive dependencies of pulse amplitude distributions on varied input spectra, providing a new approach to designing spectrum-sensitive SNSPDs for low-light spectroscopic applications.
Article
Optics
Hao Yu, Chenzhi Yuan, Ruiming Zhang, Zichang Zhang, Hao Li, You Wang, Guangwei Deng, Lixing You, Haizhi Song, Zhiming Wang, Guang-Can Guo, Qiang Zhou
Summary: The article introduces a 1.5 μm chip-scale single-photon source based on lithium niobate on insulator. By employing spectral multiplexing and active feed-forward spectral manipulating, the performance of the single-photon source is significantly improved. Experimental results show that spectral multiplexing can increase the heralded single-photon rate and maintain a low g((2))(0) value, and the spectral multiplexing and feed-forward control effectively eliminate the frequency correlation of photon pairs.
PHOTONICS RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Physics, Applied
Fumihiro China, Naoki Takeuchi, Shigehito Miki, Masahiro Yabuno, Shigeyuki Miyajima, Hirotaka Terai
Summary: In this study, a high-sensitivity AQFP interface was developed and demonstrated to be suitable for large SSPD arrays. Through systematic testing with an NbTiN SSPD, the interface showed a current sensitivity of 3.5 μA, much smaller than previous single-flux-quantum interfaces developed.
SUPERCONDUCTOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Giovanni V. Resta, Lorenzo Stasi, Matthieu Perrenoud, Sylvain El-Khoury, Tiff Brydges, Rob Thew, Hugo Zbinden, Felix Bussieres
Summary: Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) with high system detection efficiency (SDE), low dark counts, and fast recovery time have enabled the realization of various quantum optics technologies. This article presents an SNSPD array composed of 14 independent pixels, achieving an SDE of 90% in the telecommunications band. By reading each pixel of the array independently, the detection of telecommunication photons at 1.5 GHz with 45% absolute SDE is demonstrated. The dynamic photon-number resolution of the array is exploited for accurate state reconstruction of a wide range of light inputs, including long-duration light pulses obtained with cavity-based sources. Two-photon and three-photon fidelities of 74% and 57% are shown, respectively, representing state-of-the-art results for fiber-coupled SNSPDs.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chang-Min Lee, Mustafa Atabey Buyukkaya, Samuel Harper, Shahriar Aghaeimeibodi, Christopher J. K. Richardson, Edo Waks
Summary: In this study, a bright telecom-wavelength single photon source is demonstrated based on a tapered nanobeam containing InAs/InP quantum dots. The tapered nanobeam enables directional and Gaussian-like far-field emission of the quantum dots, resulting in a high-end brightness. Adopting quasi-resonant excitation helps reduce multiphoton emission and decoherence, achieving a coherence time and postselected Hong-Ou-Mandel visibility suitable for long-distance quantum networks.
Article
Computer Science, Information Systems
Lianming Li, Long He, Xu Wu, Xiaokang Niu, Chao Wan, Lin Kang, Xiaoqing Jia, Labao Zhang, Qingyuan Zhao, Xuecou Tu
Summary: A low-power inductorless wideband differential cryogenic amplifier was designed using a 0.13-mu m SiGe BiCMOS process for a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector. The amplifier achieved a gain of 21 dB with a 3-dB bandwidth of 1.13 GHz at room temperature and a gain of 15 to 24 dB with a bandwidth spanning from 120 kHz to 1.3 GHz at cryogenic temperature, consuming only 3.1 mW.
FRONTIERS OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Fei Xia, Monique Gevers, Andreas Fognini, Aaron T. Mok, Bo Li, Najva Akbari, Iman Esmaeil Zadeh, Jessie Qin-Dregely, Chris Xu
Summary: The study focuses on deep mouse brain imaging using optimized wavelength windows and a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector, achieving one-photon confocal fluorescence imaging at 1700 nm. By positioning quantum dots and the detector in the optimal imaging window, successful imaging of deep tissue in mouse brains was demonstrated with low-cost, low excitation power settings.
Article
Physics, Applied
Yiming Pan, Hui Zhou, Lu Zhang, Hao Li, Yan Tang, Huiqin Yu, Mengting Si, Lixing You, Zhen Wang
Summary: This study demonstrates the potential of NbN-SNSPDs for use in MIR applications, especially for longer MIR wavelengths, by fabricating SNSPDs with gamma-Nb4N3 films instead of delta-NbN films. The dependence of the normalized detection efficiency on the bias current showed a clear trend towards a saturated plateau for wavelengths up to 2145 nm, indicating the feasibility of using gamma-Nb4N3 SNSPDs for longer MIR wavelengths.
SUPERCONDUCTOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Duan-Cheng Liu, Pei-Yun Li, Tian -Xiang Zhu, Liang Zheng, Jian-Yin Huang, Zong-Quan Zhou, Chuan-Feng Li, Guang-Can Guo
Summary: This study demonstrates the storage and on-demand retrieval of quantum memories at telecom wavelengths, which is crucial for the establishment of large-scale quantum networks based on fiber networks. The designed storage device features high reliability and scalability, and can be directly integrated into fiber networks.
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Fan Liu, Mu-Sheng Jiang, Yi-Fei Lu, Yang Wang, Wan-Su Bao
Summary: The study on superconducting nanowire single photon detectors demonstrates that pulse-gated mode can effectively suppress the response of stray photons. Even when the gating frequency is pushed to 8 MHz, the dark count rate still remains under 4% of the free-running mode.
Article
Optics
Bingxin Chen, Hong Pan, Liping Zhu, Hongtao Xu, Hengliang Wang, Lijian Zhang, Xiaomi Yan, Chiyuan Ma, Xuguang Xu, Wei Lu, Zhenghua An, Yanru Song
Summary: Superconducting photodetection offers wide spectral coverage and single photon sensitivity, but the detection efficiency is low in the longer wavelength infrared range. By using a superconducting metamaterial, we achieved nearly perfect absorption at dual color infrared wavelengths and enhanced light coupling efficiency. Our infrared detector demonstrated peak responsivity of 1.2 x 106 V/W and 3.2 x 106 V/W at two resonant frequencies, significantly higher than the non-resonant frequency. This work provides a way to improve the sensitivity of superconducting photodetectors in the infrared range.
Article
Optics
S. Sempere-Llagostera, G. S. Thekkadath, R. B. Patel, W. S. Kolthammer, I. A. Walmsley
Summary: In this study, we use the photon-number resolving capabilities of commercial superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors to improve the quality of single photons generated through nonlinear processes. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of enhancing the quality of heralded single-photon sources using readily available technology.
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
G. S. Thekkadath, B. A. Bell, R. B. Patel, M. S. Kim, I. A. Walmsley
Summary: The article presents a scheme for measuring the time-frequency structure of quantum light and demonstrates its effectiveness through experiments. The proposed method does not require phase stability, nonlinearities, or spectral shaping, making it a simple and practical way to measure the modal structure of quantum light.
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jacob F. F. Bulmer, Bryn A. Bell, Rachel S. Chadwick, Alex E. Jones, Diana Moise, Alessandro Rigazzi, Jan Thorbecke, Utz-Uwe Haus, Thomas Van Vaerenbergh, Raj B. Patel, Ian A. Walmsley, Anthony Laing
Summary: Identifying the boundary at which quantum machines provide a computational advantage over classical counterparts is crucial. Gaussian boson sampling (GBS), which involves measuring photons from a highly entangled Gaussian state, is a leading approach in pursuing quantum advantage. This paper presents faster classical GBS simulation methods and introduces an efficient distribution for classical sampling that passes various GBS validation methods.
Editorial Material
Physics, Applied
Bernard E. Cooper, Robert H. Hadfield
SUPERCONDUCTOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Optics
Bangshan Sun, Fyodor Morozko, Patrick S. Salter, Simon Moser, Zhikai Pong, Raj B. Patel, Ian A. Walmsley, Mohan Wang, Adir Hazan, Nicolas Barre, Alexander Jesacher, Julian Fells, Chao He, Aviad Katiyi, Zhen-Nan Tian, Alina Karabchevsky, Martin J. Booth
Summary: This paper reports a new method for femtosecond laser writing of optical-fiber-compatible glass waveguides, which enables high precision and low loss control of waveguide cross-sections. The fabricated waveguides show high refractive index contrast, low propagation loss, and low coupling loss, and they can operate across a broad range of wavelengths.
LIGHT-SCIENCE & APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
S. Sempere-Llagostera, R. B. Patel, I. A. Walmsley, W. S. Kolthammer
Summary: Gaussian boson sampling is a concept in quantum computing that involves drawing samples from a nonclassical Gaussian state using photon-number resolving detectors. In this study, we experimentally implement Gaussian boson sampling using a time-bin encoded interferometer and find improvements in searching for dense subgraphs in a graph.
Editorial Material
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Alessandro Casaburi, Robert H. Hadfield
Summary: A hybrid superconducting optoelectronic circuit can be utilized to develop spiking neuromorphic networks that function at the single-quantum level.
NATURE ELECTRONICS
(2022)
Article
Physics, Applied
Gregor G. Taylor, Ewan N. MacKenzie, Boris Korzh, Dmitry V. Morozov, Bruce Bumble, Andrew D. Beyer, Jason P. Allmaras, Matthew D. Shaw, Robert H. Hadfield
Summary: Detector timing jitter is a crucial parameter for photon counting applications, and superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors offer the fastest timing jitter in the visible to telecom wavelength range and exhibit single-photon sensitivity in the mid-infrared spectral region.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Rafael Luque Merino, Paul Seifert, Jose Duran Retamal, Roop K. Mech, Takashi Taniguchi, Kenji Watanabe, Kazuo Kadowaki, Robert H. Hadfield, Dmitri K. Efetov
Summary: A proof-of-concept nanodetector based on two-dimensional cuprate superconductor Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8-delta has been demonstrated to exhibit single-photon sensitivity at telecom wavelength at a record temperature of 20 K, paving the way for broader application of single-photon technologies.
Article
Physics, Applied
S. E. Thomas, S. Sagona-Stophel, Z. Schofield, I. A. Walmsley, P. M. Ledingham
Summary: This paper reports a telecommunications wavelength- and bandwidth-compatible quantum memory, which enables efficient storage and on-demand retrieval of quantum optical states. It is an essential technology for future terrestrial-based quantum optical networking. The memory demonstrates a total internal efficiency of 20.90(1)% and a Doppler-limited storage time of 1.10(2) ns using the Off-Resonant Cascaded Absorption protocol in hot 87Rb vapor.
PHYSICAL REVIEW APPLIED
(2023)
Article
Physics, Applied
Silke A. Peeters, Ciaran T. Lennon, Marc J. M. Merkx, Robert H. Hadfield, W. M. M. (Erwin) Kessels, Marcel A. Verheijen, Harm C. M. Knoops
Summary: This work demonstrates that ultrathin superconducting TaCxN1-x films can be prepared using plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) with substrate biasing. The ion-energy control enables tuning of the composition, improves film quality, and shows clear dependence of the critical temperature of superconductivity on ion energy.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
F. H. B. Somhorst, R. van der Meer, M. Correa Anguita, R. Schadow, H. J. Snijders, M. de Goede, B. Kassenberg, P. Venderbosch, C. Taballione, J. P. Epping, H. H. van den Vlekkert, J. Timmerhuis, J. F. F. Bulmer, J. Lugani, I. A. Walmsley, P. W. H. Pinkse, J. Eisert, N. Walk, J. J. Renema
Summary: This study demonstrates that in a unitarily evolving system, single-mode measurements can converge to a thermal state using photons in an integrated optical interferometer. The resolution to the paradox between unitary evolution and the second law of thermodynamics is the recognition that the global unitary evolution of a multi-partite quantum state causes local subsystems to evolve towards maximum-entropy states. The experiment utilizes a programmable integrated quantum photonic processor to manipulate quantum states and shows the potential of photonic devices for simulating non-Gaussian states.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Review
Optics
Robert h. Hadfield, Jonathan Leach, Fiona Fleming, Douglas j. Paul, Chee hing Tan, Jo shien Ng, Robert k. Henderson, Gerald s. Buller
Summary: The development of single-photon detectors with picosecond timing resolution has driven progress in time-correlated single-photon counting applications, including quantum optics, life sciences, and remote sensing. Advanced optoelectronic device architectures offer high-performance single-pixel devices and the ability to scale up to detector arrays, increasing single-photon sensitivity.
Proceedings Paper
Instruments & Instrumentation
Georg Enzian, Lars Freisem, John J. Price, Andreas O. Svela, Jack Clarke, Magdalena Szczykulska, Joshua Nunn, Ian Walmsley, Jonathan Silver, Leonardo Del Bino, Shuangyou Zhang, Pascal Del'Haye, Biveen Shajilal, Jiri Janousek, Ben C. Buchler, Ping Koy Lam, Michael R. Vanner
Summary: Research on backward Brillouin scattering in whispering-gallery-mode micro-resonators provides a promising avenue for both classical and quantum optomechanics applications. Our team, in collaboration with others, is utilizing this regime to prepare non-Gaussian motional states of the acoustic field. Recent experimental results include Brillouin optomechanical strong coupling, manipulation of thermal states by adding or subtracting single phonons, and phase-space tomography of non-Gaussian states generated by subtracting single or multiple phonons.
OPTICAL AND QUANTUM SENSING AND PRECISION METROLOGY II
(2022)
Article
Quantum Science & Technology
G. S. Thekkadath, S. Sempere-Llagostera, B. A. Bell, R. B. Patel, M. S. Kim, I. A. Walmsley
Summary: This paper presents a GBS machine that achieves displacement by injecting a laser beam and a two-mode squeezed vacuum state. The study shows that the machine has the ability to reconstruct multimode Gaussian state and reduce computational complexity.
