High-timing-precision detection of single X-ray photons by superconducting nanowires
作者机构：Research Institute of Superconductor Electronics Nanjing University Qian Xuesen Laboratory of Space Technology Beijing National Laboratory of Condensed Matter Physics Institute of Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Hefei National Laboratory School of Precision Instrument and Optoelectronic Engineering Tianjin University Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Information Science and Technology Ministry of Education
出 版 物：《National Science Review》 (国家科学评论(英文版))
年 卷 期：2024年第11卷第1期
页 面：194-203页
核心收录：
学科分类：080705[工学-制冷及低温工程] 070207[理学-光学] 07[理学] 070205[理学-凝聚态物理] 08[工学] 0807[工学-动力工程及工程热物理] 0803[工学-光学工程] 0702[理学-物理学]
基 金：supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (2017YFB0503300 and 2017YFA0304002) the Innovation Program for Quantum Science and Technology(2021ZD0303401) the National Natural Science Foundation of China (12033002, 61975229, 62101240, 62071218, 62071214and 61801206) the Key-Area Research and Development Program of Guangdong Province (2020B0303020001) the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD) the Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Manipulating Technique of Electromagnetic Waves
主 题：single-photon detection timing precision superconductor ultrafast phenomenon pulsar X-ray navigation
摘 要：Precisely acquiring the timing information of individual X-ray photons is important in both fundamental research and practical applications. The timing precision of commonly used X-ray single-photon detectors remains in the range of one hundred picoseconds to microseconds. In this work, we report on high-timing-precision detection of single X-ray photons through the fast transition to the normal state from the superconductive state of superconducting nanowires. We successfully demonstrate a free-running X-ray single-photon detector with a timing resolution of 20.1 ps made of 100-nm-thick niobium nitride film with an active area of 50 μm by 50 μm. By using a repeated differential timing measurement on two adjacent X-ray single-photon detectors, we demonstrate a precision of 0.87 ps in the arrival-time difference of X-ray photon measurements. Therefore, our work significantly enhances the timing precision in X-ray photon counting, opening a new niche for ultrafast X-ray photonics and many associated applications.
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