The rapid development of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors over the past decade has led to numerous advances in quantum information technology. The record for the best system detection efficiency at an ...The rapid development of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors over the past decade has led to numerous advances in quantum information technology. The record for the best system detection efficiency at an incident photon wavelength of 1550 nm is 93%. This performance was attained from a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector made of amorphous WSi; such detectors are usually operated at sub-Kelvin temperatures. In this study, we first demonstrate superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors made of polycrystalline NbN with system detection efficiency of 90.2% for 1550-nm-wavelength photons at2.1 K, accessible with a compact cryocooler. The system detection efficiency saturated at 92.1% when the temperature was lowered to 1.8 K. We expect the results lighten the practical and high performance superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors to quantum information and other high-end applications.展开更多
Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors(SNSPDs)have become a mainstream photon-counting technology that has been widely applied in various scenarios.So far,most multi-channel SNSPD systems,either reported in ...Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors(SNSPDs)have become a mainstream photon-counting technology that has been widely applied in various scenarios.So far,most multi-channel SNSPD systems,either reported in literature or commercially available,are polarization sensitive,that is,the system detection efficiency(SDE)of each channel is dependent on the state of polarization of the to-be-detected photons.Here,we reported an eight-channel system with fractal SNSPDs working in the wavelength range of 930 to 940 nm,which are all featured with low polarization sensitivity.In a close-cycled Gifford-McMahon cryocooler system with the base temperature of 2.2 K,we installed and compared the performance of two types of devices:(1)SNSPD,composed of a single,continuous nanowire and(2)superconducting nanowire avalanche photodetector(SNAP),composed of 16 cascaded units of two nanowires electrically connected in parallel.The highest SDE among the eight channels reaches 96+^(4)_(-5%),with the polarization sensitivity of 1.02 and a dark-count rate of 13 counts per second.The average SDE for eight channels for all states of polarization is estimated to be 90±5%.It is concluded that both the SNSPDs and the SNAPs can reach saturated,high SDE at the wavelength of interest,and the SNSPDs show lower dark-count(false-count)rates,whereas the SNAPs show better properties in the time domain.With the adoption of this system,we showcased the measurements of the second-order photon-correlation functions of light emission from a singlephoton source based on a semiconductor quantum dot and from a pulsed laser.It is believed that this work will provide new choices of systems with single-photon detectors combining the merits of high SDE,low polarization sensitivity,and low noise that can be tailored for different applications.展开更多
Integrated photonics provides a route to both miniaturization of quantum key distribution(QKD)devices and enhancing their performance.A key element for achieving discrete-variable QKD is a singlephoton detector.It is ...Integrated photonics provides a route to both miniaturization of quantum key distribution(QKD)devices and enhancing their performance.A key element for achieving discrete-variable QKD is a singlephoton detector.It is highly desirable to integrate detectors onto a photonic chip to enable the realization of practical and scalable quantum networks.We realize a heterogeneously integrated,superconducting silicon-photonic chip.Harnessing the unique high-speed feature of our optical waveguide-integrated superconducting detector,we perform the first optimal Bell-state measurement(BSM)of time-bin encoded qubits generated from two independent lasers.The optimal BSM enables an increased key rate of measurement-device-independent QKD(MDI-QKD),which is immune to all attacks against the detection system and hence provides the basis for a QKD network with untrusted relays.Together with the timemultiplexed technique,we have enhanced the sifted key rate by almost one order of magnitude.With a 125-MHz clock rate,we obtain a secure key rate of 6.166 kbps over 24.0 dB loss,which is comparable to the state-of-the-art MDI-QKD experimental results with a GHz clock rate.Combined with integrated QKD transmitters,a scalable,chip-based,and cost-effective QKD network should become realizable in the near future.展开更多
Avalanche-photodiode-based near-infrared single-photon detectors have seen rapid development in the last two decades because of their enormous internal gain,high sensitivity,fast response,small vol-ume,and ease of int...Avalanche-photodiode-based near-infrared single-photon detectors have seen rapid development in the last two decades because of their enormous internal gain,high sensitivity,fast response,small vol-ume,and ease of integration.The InGaAs/InP near-infrared single-photon detector is the most widely used avalanche diode at present.Its device performance is still being continuously improved through the optimization of device structure and external quenching circuits.This paper analyzes the latest development and application of these InGaAs/InP photodiodes,then briefly re views other near-infrared single-photon detection technologies based on new materials and new mechanisms.展开更多
A superconductor single photon detector based on NbN nanowire was fabricated using electron beam lithography (EBL) and reactive ion etching (RIE) for infrared photon detection. When biased well below its critical curr...A superconductor single photon detector based on NbN nanowire was fabricated using electron beam lithography (EBL) and reactive ion etching (RIE) for infrared photon detection. When biased well below its critical current at 4.2 K, NbN nanowire is very sensitive to the incident photons. Typical telecommunication photons with a wavelength of 1550 nm were detected by this detector. Data analysis indicates the repeating rate of the device with 200 nm NbN nanowire may be up to 100 MHz, and the quantum efficiency is about 0.01% when biased at 0.95Ic.展开更多
The optical coupling of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors （SNSPDs） has always been restricted to a single-mode fiber for a limited detection area. In this study, for enhancing photon coupling, a dual-...The optical coupling of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors （SNSPDs） has always been restricted to a single-mode fiber for a limited detection area. In this study, for enhancing photon coupling, a dual-lens system operating at 2.2 K was used to compress the beam size on the basis of the Gaussian beam theory and geometric approximation. A magnification of approximately 0.3 was obtained, and a focused spot with diameter of approximately 10 ~m was measured from a multimode fiber. Assisted with the compressed beam, a system efficiency of 55 % （1550 nm） was achieved for a SNSPD with a detection area of 10 μm × 10 μm and 62.5 pm multimode fiber coupling. At the same time, a high speed of 106 MHz was measured with the proposed system. The realization of a highly compressed optical beam reduced the optical coupling requirement and helped maintain a high speed for the SNSPD.展开更多
Efficient and precise photon-number-resolving detectors are essential for optical quantum information science.Despite this,very few detectors have been able to distinguish photon numbers with both high fidelity and a ...Efficient and precise photon-number-resolving detectors are essential for optical quantum information science.Despite this,very few detectors have been able to distinguish photon numbers with both high fidelity and a large dynamic range,all while maintaining high speed and high timing precision.Superconducting nanostrip-based detectors excel at counting single photons efficiently and rapidly,but face challenges in balancing dynamic range and fidelity.Here,we have pioneered the demonstration of 10 true photon-number resolution using a superconducting microstrip detector,with readout fidelity reaching an impressive 98%and 90%for 4-photon and 6-photon events,respectively.Furthermore,our proposed dual-channel timing setup drastically reduces the amount of data acquisition by 3 orders of magnitude,allowing for real-time photon-number readout.We then demonstrate the utility of our scheme by implementing a quantum random-number generator based on sampling the parity of a coherent state,which guarantees inherent unbiasedness,robustness against experimental imperfections and environmental noise,as well as invulnerability to eavesdropping.Our solution boasts high fidelity,a large dynamic range,and real-time characterization for photon-number resolution and simplicity with respect to device structure,fabrication,and readout,which may provide a promising avenue towards optical quantum information science.展开更多
Optical spectrum analysis provides a wealth of information about the physical world.Throughout the development of optical spectrum analysis,sensitivity has been one of the major topics and has become essential in appl...Optical spectrum analysis provides a wealth of information about the physical world.Throughout the development of optical spectrum analysis,sensitivity has been one of the major topics and has become essential in applications dealing with faint light.Various high-sensitivity optical detection technologies have been applied in optical spectrum analysis to enhance its sensitivity to single-photon level.As an emerging single-photon detection technology,superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors(SNSPDs)have many impressive features such as high detection efficiency,broad operation bandwidth,small timing jitter,and so on,which make them promising for enhancing the performance of optical spectral analysis.Diverse schemes for photon-counting spectrometers based on SNSPDs have been demonstrated.This article reviews these impressive works and prospects for the future development of this technology.Further breakthroughs can be expected in its theories,device performance,applications,and combinations with in-sensor computing,promoting it to be a mature and versatile solution for optical spectrum analysis on ultra-faint light.展开更多
Infrared detection technology has greatly expanded the ability of mankind to study the earth and the universe. In recent years, the demand for long-wavelength infrared detectors is increasing for their advantages in e...Infrared detection technology has greatly expanded the ability of mankind to study the earth and the universe. In recent years, the demand for long-wavelength infrared detectors is increasing for their advantages in exploring the earth and the universe. A variety of long-wavelength infrared detectors have been made based on thermal resistive effect, photoelectric effect, etc., in the past few decades. Remarkable achievements have been made in infrared materials, device fabrication,readout circuit, and device package. However, high performance long-wavelength infrared detectors, especially those for large format long-wavelength infrared detector focus plane array, are still unsatisfactory. Low noise, high detectivity, and large format long-wavelength infrared detector is necessary to satisfy space-based application requirements.展开更多
InGaAs/InP avalanche photodiodes typically work in the gated Geiger mode to achieve near-infrared singlephoton detection. By using ultrashort gates and combining with the robust spike-canceling technique that consists...InGaAs/InP avalanche photodiodes typically work in the gated Geiger mode to achieve near-infrared singlephoton detection. By using ultrashort gates and combining with the robust spike-canceling technique that consists of the capacitance-balancing and low-pass filtering technique, we demonstrate an InGaAs/InP single-photon detector(SPD) with widely tunable repetition rates in this paper. The operation frequency could be tuned conveniently from 100 MHz to 1.25 GHz with the SPD's performance measured to maintain good performance, making it quite suitable for quantum key distribution, laser ranging, and optical time domain reflectometry. Furthermore,the SPD exhibited extremely low-noise characteristics. The detection efficiency of this SPD could reach 20% with the dark count rate of 2.5 × 10^(-6)∕gate and after-pulse probability of 4.1% at 1 GHz.展开更多
The detection of low-level light is a key technology in various experimental scientific studies. As a photon detector, the silicon photomultiplier （SiPM） has gradually become an alternative to the photomultiplier tu...The detection of low-level light is a key technology in various experimental scientific studies. As a photon detector, the silicon photomultiplier （SiPM） has gradually become an alternative to the photomultiplier tube （PMT） in many applications in high-energy physics, astroparticle physics, and medical imaging because of its high photon detection efficiency （PDE）, good resolution for single-photon detection, insensitivity to magnetic field, low operating voltage, compactness, and low cost. However, primarily because of the geometric fill factor, the PDE of most SiPMs is not very high; in particular, for those SiPMs with a high density of micro cells, the effective area is small, and the bandwidth of the light response is narrow. As a building block of the SiPM, the concept of the backside-illuminated avalanche drift detector （ADD） was first proposed by the Max Planck Institute of Germany eight years ago; the ADD is promising to have high PDE over the full energy range of optical photons, even ultraviolet light and X-ray light, and because the avalanche multiplication region is very small, the ADD is beneficial for the fabrication of large-area SiPMs. However, because of difficulties in design and fabrication, no significant progress had been made, and the concept had not yet been verified. In this paper, preliminary results in the design, fabrication, and performance of a backside-illuminated ADD are reported; the difficulties in and limitations to the backside-illuminated ADD are analyzed.展开更多
Quantum key distribution(QKD),rooted in quantum mechanics,offers information-theoretic security.However,practi-cal systems open security threats due to imperfections,notably bright-light blinding attacks targeting sin...Quantum key distribution(QKD),rooted in quantum mechanics,offers information-theoretic security.However,practi-cal systems open security threats due to imperfections,notably bright-light blinding attacks targeting single-photon detectors.Here,we propose a concise,robust defense strategy for protecting single-photon detectors in QKD systems against blinding attacks.Our strategy uses a dual approach:detecting the bias current of the avalanche photodiode(APD)to defend against con-tinuous-wave blinding attacks,and monitoring the avalanche amplitude to protect against pulsed blinding attacks.By integrat-ing these two branches,the proposed solution effectively identifies and mitigates a wide range of bright light injection attempts,significantly enhancing the resilience of QKD systems against various bright-light blinding attacks.This method forti-fies the safeguards of quantum communications and offers a crucial contribution to the field of quantum information security.展开更多
We systematically investigated the detection performance of Al nanostrips for single photons at various wavelengths.The Al films were deposited using magnetron sputtering,and the sophisticated nanostructures and morph...We systematically investigated the detection performance of Al nanostrips for single photons at various wavelengths.The Al films were deposited using magnetron sputtering,and the sophisticated nanostructures and morphology of the deposited films were revealed through high-resolution transmission electron microscopy.The fabricated Al meander nanostrips,with a thickness of 4.2 nm and a width of 178 nm,exhibited a superconducting transition temperature of 2.4 K and a critical current of approximately 5μA at 0.85 K.While the Al nanostrips demonstrated a saturated internal quantum efficiency for 405-nm photons,the internal detection efficiency exhibited an exponential dependence on bias current without any saturation tendency for 1550-nm photons.This behavior can be attributed to the relatively large diffusion coefficient and coherence length of the Al films.By further narrowing the nanostrip width,the Al-SNSPDs remain capable of effectively detecting single telecom photons to facilitate practical applications.展开更多
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2017YFA0304000)Strategic Priority Research Program(B)of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDB04010200)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.91121022,61401441,and61401443)the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality(Grant No.16JC1400402)
文摘The rapid development of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors over the past decade has led to numerous advances in quantum information technology. The record for the best system detection efficiency at an incident photon wavelength of 1550 nm is 93%. This performance was attained from a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector made of amorphous WSi; such detectors are usually operated at sub-Kelvin temperatures. In this study, we first demonstrate superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors made of polycrystalline NbN with system detection efficiency of 90.2% for 1550-nm-wavelength photons at2.1 K, accessible with a compact cryocooler. The system detection efficiency saturated at 92.1% when the temperature was lowered to 1.8 K. We expect the results lighten the practical and high performance superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors to quantum information and other high-end applications.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(62071322).
文摘Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors(SNSPDs)have become a mainstream photon-counting technology that has been widely applied in various scenarios.So far,most multi-channel SNSPD systems,either reported in literature or commercially available,are polarization sensitive,that is,the system detection efficiency(SDE)of each channel is dependent on the state of polarization of the to-be-detected photons.Here,we reported an eight-channel system with fractal SNSPDs working in the wavelength range of 930 to 940 nm,which are all featured with low polarization sensitivity.In a close-cycled Gifford-McMahon cryocooler system with the base temperature of 2.2 K,we installed and compared the performance of two types of devices:(1)SNSPD,composed of a single,continuous nanowire and(2)superconducting nanowire avalanche photodetector(SNAP),composed of 16 cascaded units of two nanowires electrically connected in parallel.The highest SDE among the eight channels reaches 96+^(4)_(-5%),with the polarization sensitivity of 1.02 and a dark-count rate of 13 counts per second.The average SDE for eight channels for all states of polarization is estimated to be 90±5%.It is concluded that both the SNSPDs and the SNAPs can reach saturated,high SDE at the wavelength of interest,and the SNSPDs show lower dark-count(false-count)rates,whereas the SNAPs show better properties in the time domain.With the adoption of this system,we showcased the measurements of the second-order photon-correlation functions of light emission from a singlephoton source based on a semiconductor quantum dot and from a pulsed laser.It is believed that this work will provide new choices of systems with single-photon detectors combining the merits of high SDE,low polarization sensitivity,and low noise that can be tailored for different applications.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Nos.2017YFA0303704,2019YFA0308700,and 2017YFA0304002)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.11690032,11321063,and 12033002)+2 种基金the NSFC-BRICS(No.61961146001)the Leading-Edge Technology Program of Jiangsu Natural Science Foundation(No.BK20192001)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.
文摘Integrated photonics provides a route to both miniaturization of quantum key distribution(QKD)devices and enhancing their performance.A key element for achieving discrete-variable QKD is a singlephoton detector.It is highly desirable to integrate detectors onto a photonic chip to enable the realization of practical and scalable quantum networks.We realize a heterogeneously integrated,superconducting silicon-photonic chip.Harnessing the unique high-speed feature of our optical waveguide-integrated superconducting detector,we perform the first optimal Bell-state measurement(BSM)of time-bin encoded qubits generated from two independent lasers.The optimal BSM enables an increased key rate of measurement-device-independent QKD(MDI-QKD),which is immune to all attacks against the detection system and hence provides the basis for a QKD network with untrusted relays.Together with the timemultiplexed technique,we have enhanced the sifted key rate by almost one order of magnitude.With a 125-MHz clock rate,we obtain a secure key rate of 6.166 kbps over 24.0 dB loss,which is comparable to the state-of-the-art MDI-QKD experimental results with a GHz clock rate.Combined with integrated QKD transmitters,a scalable,chip-based,and cost-effective QKD network should become realizable in the near future.
基金supported by the Major Science and Technology Project of Yunnan province(Grant No.2018ZI002)。
文摘Avalanche-photodiode-based near-infrared single-photon detectors have seen rapid development in the last two decades because of their enormous internal gain,high sensitivity,fast response,small vol-ume,and ease of integration.The InGaAs/InP near-infrared single-photon detector is the most widely used avalanche diode at present.Its device performance is still being continuously improved through the optimization of device structure and external quenching circuits.This paper analyzes the latest development and application of these InGaAs/InP photodiodes,then briefly re views other near-infrared single-photon detection technologies based on new materials and new mechanisms.
基金Supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(Grant Nos2006CB601006and2007CB310404)National High-tech R&D Program of China(Grant No.2006AA12Z120)National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.60721063)
文摘A superconductor single photon detector based on NbN nanowire was fabricated using electron beam lithography (EBL) and reactive ion etching (RIE) for infrared photon detection. When biased well below its critical current at 4.2 K, NbN nanowire is very sensitive to the incident photons. Typical telecommunication photons with a wavelength of 1550 nm were detected by this detector. Data analysis indicates the repeating rate of the device with 200 nm NbN nanowire may be up to 100 MHz, and the quantum efficiency is about 0.01% when biased at 0.95Ic.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(2011CBA02)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(61471189,11227904 and 61101012)
文摘The optical coupling of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors （SNSPDs） has always been restricted to a single-mode fiber for a limited detection area. In this study, for enhancing photon coupling, a dual-lens system operating at 2.2 K was used to compress the beam size on the basis of the Gaussian beam theory and geometric approximation. A magnification of approximately 0.3 was obtained, and a focused spot with diameter of approximately 10 ~m was measured from a multimode fiber. Assisted with the compressed beam, a system efficiency of 55 % （1550 nm） was achieved for a SNSPD with a detection area of 10 μm × 10 μm and 62.5 pm multimode fiber coupling. At the same time, a high speed of 106 MHz was measured with the proposed system. The realization of a highly compressed optical beam reduced the optical coupling requirement and helped maintain a high speed for the SNSPD.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.62301541,61971408,61827823,and 12033007)support from Shanghai Sailing Program(Grant No.23YF1456200)
文摘Efficient and precise photon-number-resolving detectors are essential for optical quantum information science.Despite this,very few detectors have been able to distinguish photon numbers with both high fidelity and a large dynamic range,all while maintaining high speed and high timing precision.Superconducting nanostrip-based detectors excel at counting single photons efficiently and rapidly,but face challenges in balancing dynamic range and fidelity.Here,we have pioneered the demonstration of 10 true photon-number resolution using a superconducting microstrip detector,with readout fidelity reaching an impressive 98%and 90%for 4-photon and 6-photon events,respectively.Furthermore,our proposed dual-channel timing setup drastically reduces the amount of data acquisition by 3 orders of magnitude,allowing for real-time photon-number readout.We then demonstrate the utility of our scheme by implementing a quantum random-number generator based on sampling the parity of a coherent state,which guarantees inherent unbiasedness,robustness against experimental imperfections and environmental noise,as well as invulnerability to eavesdropping.Our solution boasts high fidelity,a large dynamic range,and real-time characterization for photon-number resolution and simplicity with respect to device structure,fabrication,and readout,which may provide a promising avenue towards optical quantum information science.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2023YFB2806700)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.92365210)the Tsinghua Initiative Scientific Research Program,and the project of Tsinghua University-Zhuhai Huafa Industrial Share Company Joint Institute for Architecture Optoelectronic Technologies(JIAOT).
文摘Optical spectrum analysis provides a wealth of information about the physical world.Throughout the development of optical spectrum analysis,sensitivity has been one of the major topics and has become essential in applications dealing with faint light.Various high-sensitivity optical detection technologies have been applied in optical spectrum analysis to enhance its sensitivity to single-photon level.As an emerging single-photon detection technology,superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors(SNSPDs)have many impressive features such as high detection efficiency,broad operation bandwidth,small timing jitter,and so on,which make them promising for enhancing the performance of optical spectral analysis.Diverse schemes for photon-counting spectrometers based on SNSPDs have been demonstrated.This article reviews these impressive works and prospects for the future development of this technology.Further breakthroughs can be expected in its theories,device performance,applications,and combinations with in-sensor computing,promoting it to be a mature and versatile solution for optical spectrum analysis on ultra-faint light.
基金Project supported by the Young Scientists Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.51502337)the Fund from China Academy of Space Technology
文摘Infrared detection technology has greatly expanded the ability of mankind to study the earth and the universe. In recent years, the demand for long-wavelength infrared detectors is increasing for their advantages in exploring the earth and the universe. A variety of long-wavelength infrared detectors have been made based on thermal resistive effect, photoelectric effect, etc., in the past few decades. Remarkable achievements have been made in infrared materials, device fabrication,readout circuit, and device package. However, high performance long-wavelength infrared detectors, especially those for large format long-wavelength infrared detector focus plane array, are still unsatisfactory. Low noise, high detectivity, and large format long-wavelength infrared detector is necessary to satisfy space-based application requirements.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)(11404212,11604209,61127014)National Key Scientific Instrument Project(2012YQ150092)+1 种基金Shanghai Science and Technology Foundation(16JC1400404)Hujiang Foundation of China(D15014)
文摘InGaAs/InP avalanche photodiodes typically work in the gated Geiger mode to achieve near-infrared singlephoton detection. By using ultrashort gates and combining with the robust spike-canceling technique that consists of the capacitance-balancing and low-pass filtering technique, we demonstrate an InGaAs/InP single-photon detector(SPD) with widely tunable repetition rates in this paper. The operation frequency could be tuned conveniently from 100 MHz to 1.25 GHz with the SPD's performance measured to maintain good performance, making it quite suitable for quantum key distribution, laser ranging, and optical time domain reflectometry. Furthermore,the SPD exhibited extremely low-noise characteristics. The detection efficiency of this SPD could reach 20% with the dark count rate of 2.5 × 10^(-6)∕gate and after-pulse probability of 4.1% at 1 GHz.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.11005010)
文摘The detection of low-level light is a key technology in various experimental scientific studies. As a photon detector, the silicon photomultiplier （SiPM） has gradually become an alternative to the photomultiplier tube （PMT） in many applications in high-energy physics, astroparticle physics, and medical imaging because of its high photon detection efficiency （PDE）, good resolution for single-photon detection, insensitivity to magnetic field, low operating voltage, compactness, and low cost. However, primarily because of the geometric fill factor, the PDE of most SiPMs is not very high; in particular, for those SiPMs with a high density of micro cells, the effective area is small, and the bandwidth of the light response is narrow. As a building block of the SiPM, the concept of the backside-illuminated avalanche drift detector （ADD） was first proposed by the Max Planck Institute of Germany eight years ago; the ADD is promising to have high PDE over the full energy range of optical photons, even ultraviolet light and X-ray light, and because the avalanche multiplication region is very small, the ADD is beneficial for the fabrication of large-area SiPMs. However, because of difficulties in design and fabrication, no significant progress had been made, and the concept had not yet been verified. In this paper, preliminary results in the design, fabrication, and performance of a backside-illuminated ADD are reported; the difficulties in and limitations to the backside-illuminated ADD are analyzed.
基金This work was supported by the Major Scientific and Technological Special Project of Anhui Province(202103a13010004)the Major Scientific and Technological Special Project of Hefei City(2021DX007)+1 种基金the Key R&D Plan of Shandong Province(2020CXGC010105)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2021M700315).
文摘Quantum key distribution(QKD),rooted in quantum mechanics,offers information-theoretic security.However,practi-cal systems open security threats due to imperfections,notably bright-light blinding attacks targeting single-photon detectors.Here,we propose a concise,robust defense strategy for protecting single-photon detectors in QKD systems against blinding attacks.Our strategy uses a dual approach:detecting the bias current of the avalanche photodiode(APD)to defend against con-tinuous-wave blinding attacks,and monitoring the avalanche amplitude to protect against pulsed blinding attacks.By integrat-ing these two branches,the proposed solution effectively identifies and mitigates a wide range of bright light injection attempts,significantly enhancing the resilience of QKD systems against various bright-light blinding attacks.This method forti-fies the safeguards of quantum communications and offers a crucial contribution to the field of quantum information security.
基金Strategic Priority Research Program(B)of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDB0580000)Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(2021230)+2 种基金Shanghai Science and Technology Development Foundation(21YF1455500)Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality(2019SHZDZX01)National Natural Science Foundation of China(61801462,61827823,61971408).
文摘We systematically investigated the detection performance of Al nanostrips for single photons at various wavelengths.The Al films were deposited using magnetron sputtering,and the sophisticated nanostructures and morphology of the deposited films were revealed through high-resolution transmission electron microscopy.The fabricated Al meander nanostrips,with a thickness of 4.2 nm and a width of 178 nm,exhibited a superconducting transition temperature of 2.4 K and a critical current of approximately 5μA at 0.85 K.While the Al nanostrips demonstrated a saturated internal quantum efficiency for 405-nm photons,the internal detection efficiency exhibited an exponential dependence on bias current without any saturation tendency for 1550-nm photons.This behavior can be attributed to the relatively large diffusion coefficient and coherence length of the Al films.By further narrowing the nanostrip width,the Al-SNSPDs remain capable of effectively detecting single telecom photons to facilitate practical applications.
