This paper summarizes the performance of all the 73 ALMA band 10 cartridges in terms of noise performance and/or optical efficiencies compared to the required ALMA specifications. In particular, the measured optical performance is compared with the results of novel statistical Monte Carlo analyses carried out before receiver production. Some of the technical difficulties encountered during production are briefly described. Finally, some of the first light results of the first receivers used in Chile are presented.
We present the development of key technologies for realization of superconducting nanowire single photon detector array system, which enables high counting rates, and allow spatial and pseudo photon number resolution. Toward the realization of practical large-scale SSPD array system, primary issue is how to avoid heat flow into cryocooler system. One of the challenging tasks is the development of their readout electronics. In the conventional readout technique used for single pixel devices, the number of high-frequency coaxial cables increases proportionally with the number of arrays. This causes a significant increase in the heat load from room temperature, which makes the implementation of the SSPD arrays in a compact refrigerator difficult. To overcome this problem, we proposed applying readout electronics with superconducting single-flux-quantum (SFQ) logic circuitsWe show the implementation and successful operation of four pixels SSPD array connected to SFQ readout electronics with parallel bias scheme in a 0.1W GM cryocooler system.
We present the latest results on two kinds of photon detectors: single photon detectors (SPDs) and photon number resolving detector (PNRD). We developed high speed and low noise SPDs using superconducting nano-wire (abbreviated by SNSPD) and semiconductor (InGaAs) avalanche photodiode (APD). The SNSPD system has totally four channels all of which have the detection eciency higher than 16% at 100Hz dark count rate. The InGaAs APD system also has four channels and the best performance is represented by the after-pulse probability of 0.61%, the dark count probability of 0.71×10-6 (~1kHz), and the detection eciency of 10.9%. Both systems were applied to wavelength division multiplexing quantum key distribution (WDM-QKD) operated at 1.2GHz repetition rate in a eld environment. The PNRD is made of superconducting transition edge sensor. It was applied to the implementation of quantum receiver which could beat the homodyne limit of the bit error rate of binary coherent states. We discuss future perspective of quantum communications with those photon detection technologies, including multi-user QKD networks and low-power high capacity communications.
Single-photon sources and detectors are key enabling technologies for photonics in quantum information science and
technology (QIST). QIST applications place high-level demands on the performance of sources and detectors; it is
therefore essential that their properties can be characterized accurately. Superconducting nanowire single-photon
detectors (SNSPDs) have spectral sensitivity from visible to beyond 2 μm in wavelength, picosecond timing resolution
(Jitter <100 ps FWHM) and the capacity to operate ungated with low dark counts (<1 kHz). This facilitates data
acquisition at high rates with an excellent signal-to-noise ratio.
We report on the construction and characterization of a two-channel SNSPD system. The detectors are mounted in a
closed-cycle refrigerator, which eliminates reliance on liquid cryogens. Our specification was to deliver a system with
1% efficiency in both channels at a wavelength of 1310 nm with 1 kHz dark count rate. A full width at half maximum
timing jitter of less than 90 ps is achieved in both channels. The system will be used to detect individual photons
generated by quantum-optical sources at telecom wavelengths. Examples include single-photon sources based on
quantum dots (emitting at 1310 nm). The SNSPD system's spectral sensitivity and timing resolution make it suited to
characterization of such sources, and to wider QIST applications.
Heterodyne mixers based on superconducting SIS (superconductor-insulator-superconductor) tunnel junctions have been demonstrated to be the most sensitive coherent detectors at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths. In fact, conventional superconducting SIS mixers with Nb/AlOx/Nb junction and Nb/SiO2/Nb tuning circuit have shown good performances with the noise temperature reaching as low as three times the quantum limit below 0.7THz, which is the gap frequency of Nb-based SIS junctions. However, due to the large loss in Nb thin-film superconducting microstrip lines, the noise performance of Nb SIS mixers deteriorates significantly above 0.7THz. With a gap frequency double that of Nb-based SIS junctions, NbN-based SIS junctions are of particular interest for the development of heterodyne mixers in the terahertz region.
Considering the bandwidth and output power of local-oscillator (LO) signal sources are quite limited around 1THz, we firstly develop a waveguide NbN-based SIS mixer at 0.5THz. Three types of SIS junctions, i.e., long junction, parallel-connected tunnel junction (PCTJ) and distributed junction array (DJ) are investigated. They are all comprised of NbN-AlN-NbN tri-layer fabricated on an MgO substrate and have the same current density (Jc) of 10kA/cm2. In this paper, we describe their design, fabrication and preliminary experimental results.
The temperature dependence of the absorption of the thick niobium films was measured using an AC far-infrared laser calorimeter. Moreover the temperature and frequency dependences of the absolute transmission and reflection of same thin niobium nitride films were measured from 5 to 20 K and from 10 to 200 cm-1 using a fourier transform infrared spectrometer. The temperature dependencies of the skin depth and the absorptance determined independently by both methods are compared. However the skin depths and the absorptances agree well each other near and above Tc, they begin to deviate from each other with decreasing temperature below Tc.
Access to the requested content is limited to institutions that have purchased or subscribe to SPIE eBooks.
You are receiving this notice because your organization may not have SPIE eBooks access.*
*Shibboleth/Open Athens users─please
sign in
to access your institution's subscriptions.
To obtain this item, you may purchase the complete book in print or electronic format on
SPIE.org.
INSTITUTIONAL Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.
PERSONAL Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.