Waveguide-coupled superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors based on femtosecond laser direct writing
Xintong Hou, Xiao-Yun Xu, Guangzhao Xu, Lixing You, Xian‐Min Jin, Hao Li, Weijun Zhang, Ruo-Jing Ren, Xuan-Lun Huang, Zhen Wang
Abstract
The implementation of quantum information technologies requires the development of integrated quantum chips. Femtosecond laser direct writing (FLDW) waveguides and superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) have been widely applied in integrated quantum photonic circuits. In this work, a novel FLDW waveguide-coupled SNSPD was designed and realized by integrating FLDW waveguides and conventional SNSPDs together. Through a COMSOL simulation, a waveguide end face-nanowire optical coupling structure was designed and verified. The simulation results showed that the FLDW waveguide-coupled SNSPD device, which had a target wavelength of 780 nm, can achieve 87% optical absorption. Then the preparation process of the FLDW waveguide-coupled SNSPD device was developed, and the fabricated device achieved a system detection efficiency of 1.7% at 10 Hz dark count rate. Overall, this method provides a feasible single-photon detector solution for future on-chip integrated quantum photonic experiments and applications.