Superconducting nanowire single photon detection system for space applications

Identifier:  imarina:9298984

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/imarina9298984

Authors:  You, Lixing; Quan, Jia; Wang, Yong; Ma, Yuexue; Yang, Xiaoyan; Liu, Yanjie; Li, Hao; Li, Jianguo; Wang, Juan; Liang, Jingtao; Wang, Zhen; Xie, Xiaoming

Abstract:
Superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs) have advanced various frontier scientific and technological fields such as quantum key distribution and deep space communications. However, limited by available cooling technology, all past experimental demonstrations have had ground-based applications. In this work, we demonstrate a SNSPD system using a hybrid cryocooler that could ultimately be compatible with space applications. With a minimum operational temperature of 2.8 K, this SNSPD system presents a maximum system detection efficiency of over 50% and a timing jitter of 48 ps, which paves the way for various space applications. (C) 2018 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreement