Polarization-insensitive fiber-coupled superconducting-nanowire single photon detector using a high-index dielectric capping layer

Journal article (2018)

Authors

Anna Mukhtarova Université Grenoble Alpes
L. Redaelli Université Grenoble Alpes
Eva Monroy Université Grenoble Alpes
J.A. Gerard Université Grenoble Alpes
Dibyendu Hazra Université Grenoble Alpes
Houssaine Machhadani Université Grenoble Alpes
Stéphane Lequien Université Grenoble Alpes
Max Hofheinz Université Grenoble Alpes
Jean Luc Thomassin Université Grenoble Alpes
Frederic Gustavo Université Grenoble Alpes
J.R. Zichi KTH Royal Institute of Technology
V.G. Zwiller QN/Zwiller Lab , Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Université Grenoble Alpes
Research Group
QN/Zwiller Lab
Copyright: © 2018 Anna Mukhtarova, Luca Redaelli, Dibyendu Hazra, Houssaine Machhadani, Stéphane Lequien, Max Hofheinz, Jean Luc Thomassin, Frederic Gustavo, J.R. Zichi, V.G. Zwiller, Eva Monroy, J.A. Gerard
DOI
help_outline
https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.26.017697
More Info
expand_more

Published Date

2018

Language

English

Reuse Rights

Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons.

Research Group

QN/Zwiller Lab

Abstract

Superconducting-nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs) are able to reach near-unity detection efficiency in the infrared spectral range. However, due to the intrinsic asymmetry of nanowires, SNSPDs are usually very sensitive to the polarization of the incident radiation, their responsivity being maximum for light polarized parallel to the nanowire length (transverse-electric (TE) polarization). Here, we report on the reduction of the polarization sensitivity obtained by capping NbN-based SNSPDs with a high-index SiNx dielectric layer, which reduces the permittivity mismatch between the NbN wire and the surrounding area. Experimentally, a polarization sensitivity below 0.1 is obtained both at 1.31 and 1.55 µm, in excellent agreement with simulations.