Quantum Communication and Quantum Networking. First International Conference, QuantumComm 2009, Naples, Italy, October 26-30, 2009, Revised Selected Papers

Research Article

Superconducting Nanowire Single-Photon Detectors for Quantum Communication Applications

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  • @INPROCEEDINGS{10.1007/978-3-642-11731-2_27,
        author={Chandra Natarajan and Martin H\aa{}rtig and Ryan Warburton and Gerald Buller and Robert Hadfield and Burm Baek and Sae Nam and Shigehito Miki and Mikio Fujiwara and Masahide Sasaki and Zhen Wang},
        title={Superconducting Nanowire Single-Photon Detectors for Quantum Communication Applications},
        proceedings={Quantum Communication and Quantum Networking. First International Conference, QuantumComm 2009, Naples, Italy, October 26-30, 2009, Revised Selected Papers},
        proceedings_a={QUANTUMCOMM},
        year={2012},
        month={10},
        keywords={Superconducting nanowire single photon detectors SSPD SNSPD},
        doi={10.1007/978-3-642-11731-2_27}
    }
    
  • Chandra Natarajan
    Martin Härtig
    Ryan Warburton
    Gerald Buller
    Robert Hadfield
    Burm Baek
    Sae Nam
    Shigehito Miki
    Mikio Fujiwara
    Masahide Sasaki
    Zhen Wang
    Year: 2012
    Superconducting Nanowire Single-Photon Detectors for Quantum Communication Applications
    QUANTUMCOMM
    Springer
    DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-11731-2_27
Chandra Natarajan1,*, Martin Härtig1, Ryan Warburton1, Gerald Buller1, Robert Hadfield1, Burm Baek2, Sae Nam2, Shigehito Miki3, Mikio Fujiwara3, Masahide Sasaki3, Zhen Wang3
  • 1: Heriot-Watt University
  • 2: National Institute of Standards and Technology
  • 3: NICT
*Contact email: cmn10@hw.ac.uk

Abstract

Single-photon detectors are a key enabling technology for optical quantum information processing applications such as quantum key distribution. A new class of single-photon detectors have emerged based on superconducting nanowires. These detectors offer sensitivity at telecommunication wavelengths (1310nm and 1550nm) with low dark counts and excellent timing resolution at an operating temperature of ~4 K. We have integrated four independent fibre-coupled detectors into a practical closed-cycle refrigerator and plan to employ this multichannel detector system in advanced quantum information processing experiments.