Energy-resolved detection of single infrared photons with λ = 8 μm using a superconducting microbolometer

We report on the detection of single photons with lambda = 8 mu m using a superconducting hot-electron microbolometer. The sensing element is a titanium transition-edge sensor with a volume similar to 0.1 mu m3 fabricated on a silicon substrate. Poisson photon counting statistics including simultane...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied physics letters 2012-07, Vol.101 (5), p.52601
Main Authors: Karasik, Boris S., Pereverzev, Sergey V., Soibel, Alexander, Santavicca, Daniel F., Prober, Daniel E., Olaya, David, Gershenson, Michael E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Counting
Infrared
Microorganisms
Photons
Silicon substrates
Statistics
Superconducting devices
Superconductivity
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Summary:We report on the detection of single photons with lambda = 8 mu m using a superconducting hot-electron microbolometer. The sensing element is a titanium transition-edge sensor with a volume similar to 0.1 mu m3 fabricated on a silicon substrate. Poisson photon counting statistics including simultaneous detection of 3 photons was observed. The width of the photon-number peaks was 0.11 eV, 70% of the photon energy, at 50-100 mK. This achieved energy resolution is one of the best figures reported so far for superconducting devices. Such devices can be suitable for single-photon calorimetric spectroscopy throughout the mid-infrared and even the far-infrared.
ISSN:0003-6951
1077-3118
DOI:10.1063/1.4739839