Soft X-Ray Single-Photon Detection With Superconducting Tantalum Nitride and Niobium Nanowires
arXiv:1210.3675 · doi:10.1109/TASC.2012.2234496
Abstract
We have fabricated ultrafast dark count-free soft X-ray single-photon detectors (X-SNSPDs) from TaN with various conduction path widths, and we compare their properties with corresponding data from a Nb X-SNSPD. The TaN X-SNSPDs offer an improved detector performance regarding device detection efficiency, latching and pulse amplitudes. Wide conduction paths allow for a certain energy-resolving capability in contrast to narrow TaN conduction paths. However, wide paths also limit the detection efficiency at low temperatures, which can be explained within a hot-spot model.
5 pages, 4 figures, 1 table