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

Boris S. Karasik, Sergey V. Pereverzev, Alexander Soibel, Daniel F. Santavicca, Daniel E. Prober, David Olaya, Michael E. Gershenson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

35 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report on the detection of single photons with λ 8 μm using a superconducting hot-electron microbolometer. The sensing element is a titanium transition-edge sensor with a volume ∼0.1 μm 3 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.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number052601
JournalApplied Physics Letters
Volume101
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 30 2012

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)

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