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Tapered InP nanowire arrays for efficient broadband high-speed single-photon detection

Nature Nanotechnology volume 14, pages 473–479 (2019)Cite this article

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Abstract

Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors with peak efficiencies above 90% and unrivalled timing jitter (<30 ps) have emerged as a potent technology for quantum information and sensing applications. However, their high cost and cryogenic operation limit their widespread applicability. Here, we present an approach using tapered InP nanowire p–n junction arrays for high-efficiency, broadband and high-speed photodetection without the need for cryogenic cooling. The truncated conical nanowire shape enables a broadband, linear photoresponse in the ultraviolet to near-infrared range (~500 nm bandwidth) with external quantum efficiencies exceeding 85%. The devices exhibit a high gain beyond 105, such that a single photon per pulse can be distinguished from the dark noise, while simultaneously showing a fast pulse rise time (<1 ns) and excellent timing jitter (<20 ps). Such detectors open up new possibilities for applications in remote sensing, dose monitoring for cancer treatment, three-dimensional imaging and quantum communication.

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Fig. 1: Tapered nanowire array device design.
Fig. 2: Near-unity absorption.
Fig. 3: Photocurrent response and avalanche photodetection.
Fig. 4: Temporal response.

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Data availability

The data that support the plots within this paper and other findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

S.J.G. and M.E.R. thank R. Ronaldo for help with the electronics set-up, J. P. Bourgoin for assistance with the optics and V. Zwiller for useful discussions. The authors also thank S. Kölling, who prepared the cross-sectional lamella by focused ion beam (FIB), and M. A. Verheijen, who performed the TEM analysis included in the Supplementary Information. The authors thank D. van Dam et al.51 for data used in Fig. 2b–d. This research was undertaken thanks in part to funding from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund and Industry Canada.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Quantum Computing and Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

    Sandra J. Gibson, Brad van Kasteren, Burak Tekcan & Michael E. Reimer

  2. Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    Yingchao Cui, Dick van Dam, Jos E. M. Haverkort & Erik P. A. M. Bakkers

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Contributions

S.J.G. performed the photocurrent testing. S.J.G., B.v.K., B.T. and M.E.R. wrote the manuscript, with input from all authors. D.v.D. and B.v.K. performed the optical measurements and simulations. B.T. performed the temperature-dependent dark current measurements and device simulations of the depleted nanowire core. Y.C. fabricated the devices. M.E.R. supervised the work. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Michael E. Reimer.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Journal peer review information: Nature Nanotechnology thanks Zhiyong Fan and other anonymous reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Gibson, S.J., van Kasteren, B., Tekcan, B. et al. Tapered InP nanowire arrays for efficient broadband high-speed single-photon detection. Nat. Nanotechnol. 14, 473–479 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-019-0393-2

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