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arXiv · 1711.10846

Proximity SQUID single photon detector via temperature-to-voltage conversion

P. Solinas·F. Giazotto·G. P. Pepe
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Abstract

We propose a single photon detector based on a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) with superconductor-normal metal-superconductor Josephson weak links. One of the two Josephson junctions is connected to an antenna, and is heated when a photon is absorbed. The increase of the weak link temperature exponentially suppresses the Josephson critical current thereby inducing an asymmetry in the SQUID. This generates a voltage pulse across the SQUID that can be measured with a threshold detector. Realized with realistic parameters the device can be used as a single photon detector, and as a calorimeter since it is able to discriminate photons frequency above $5~$THz with a signal-to-noise ratio larger than $20$. The detector performance are robust with respect to working temperatures between $0.1~$ K and $0.5~$K, and thermal noise perturbation.

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P. Solinas, F. Giazotto, G. P. Pepe. 2017-11-29. Proximity SQUID single photon detector via temperature-to-voltage conversion. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevapplied.10.024015

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