Reduced Dark Counts in Optimized Geometries for Superconducting Nanowire Single photon Detectors

Abstract

We have experimentally compared the critical current, dark count rate and photo-response of 100nm wide superconducting nanowires with different bend designs. Enhanced critical current for nanowires with optimally rounded bends, and thus with no current crowding, are observed. Furthermore, we find that the optimally designed bend significantly reduces the dark counts without compromising the photo-response of the device. The results can lead to major improvements in superconducting nanowire single photon detectors.

References in corpus (3)

• Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors: physics and applications
• Vortex-induced dissipation in narrow current-biased thin-film superconducting strips
• Critical-Current Reduction in Thin Superconducting Wires Due to Current Crowding

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