Description
The work covered in this dissertation addresses two areas revolving around superconducting nanowire detector development. The first is regarding array architectureused for a large-scale system. The second involves operating under conditions that
allow for a linear response in a superconducting nanowire detector. This dissertation
provides the relevant theory, design, and measurements to characterize these detectors. The array architecture studied here utilizes a superconducting nanowire single
photon detector embedded in an LC resonant structure, allowing multiple pixels to
couple to a single transmission line and identify each one by a tuned characteristic frequency. The pixels in the array are DC-biased, allowing them to respond to absorbed
single photons and avoiding any dead time associated with RF biasing. Measured
results from a 16-pixel array based on chip components are analyzed. The development here directs this architecture towards integrating a proven 16-pixel design onto
a single substrate with the capacity to scale to a higher pixel count and integrate
into a broad range of applications. This text outlines the theory behind the proposed
linear operation regime and details the considerations needed to achieve a response.
The basic principle relies on the time-dependent change in kinetic inductance due to
an absorbed photon. Under the conditions discussed in the text, this would allow
for fast photon number resolution. However, without reaching those conditions, the
detector may still operate under a higher incident photon flux. Two device designs
are formulated and simulated, weighing the benefits and drawbacks of each approach.
One of the device designs uses an impedance-matching taper to minimize reflections
between the nanowire and 50 Ohm amplifier. The other design utilizes N parallel
nanowires spanning the length of a gap along a 50 Ohm transmission line path. The
tapered device is realized to a proof-of-principle stage and measured under conditions
that set a limit on the device’s linear response to optical power. The performance of this detector points to areas of improvement that are addressed or circumvented
in the parallel bridge design. Potential for future development is discussed for the
frequency multiplexed superconducting nanowire single photon detector array and
the linear mode detector.
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Details
Title
- Advances in Superconducting Nanowire Detectors: Single Photon Array Development and Linear Kinetic Inductance Response
Contributors
- Glasby, Jacob (Author)
- Mauskopf, Philip (Thesis advisor)
- Chamberlin, Ralph (Committee member)
- Schmidt, Kevin (Committee member)
- Trichopoulos, Georgios (Committee member)
- Arizona State University (Publisher)
Date Created
The date the item was original created (prior to any relationship with the ASU Digital Repositories.)
2023
Subjects
Resource Type
Collections this item is in
Note
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Partial requirement for: Ph.D., Arizona State University, 2023
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Field of study: Physics