# US 11,029,203 B2 · Gated superconducting photon detector

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- Number: US 11,029,203 B2
- Document ID: US11029203B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/544,718
- Filed: 2019-08-19
- Published: 2020-03-12
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-05-16
- Assignees: Psiquantum, Corp.
- Applicants: PsiQuantum Corp.
- Inventors: Faraz Najafi; Syrus Ziai
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11029203B2

## CPC

- G01J 1/44: Electric circuits {(for command of an exposure part G03B7/02)}
- G01J 1/0407: {Optical elements not provided otherwise, e.g. manifolds, windows, holograms, gratings}
- G01J 1/42: using electric radiation detectors (optical or mechanical part G01J1/04; by comparison with a reference light or electric value G01J1/10)
- H10D 62/00: Semiconductor bodies, or regions thereof, of devices having potential barriers
- H10F 30/00: Individual radiation-sensitive semiconductor devices in which radiation controls the flow of current through the devices, e.g. photodetectors
- H10N 60/84: Switching means for devices switchable between superconducting and normal states
- G01J 2001/4406: {Plural ranges in circuit, e.g. switchable ranges; Adjusting sensitivity selecting gain values}
- G01J 2001/442: {Single-photon detection or photon counting}
- G01J 2001/4446: {Type of detector}
- G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N)
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

An electronic device includes a first superconducting wire (with a first end and a second end) having a first threshold superconducting current. The device includes a second superconducting wire (with a first end and a second end) having a second threshold superconducting current that is less than the first threshold superconducting current. The second end of the first superconducting wire and the second end of the second superconducting wire are coupled to a common voltage node. A resistor is coupled between the first superconducting wire and the second superconducting wire, with a first end of the resistor coupled to the first end of the first superconducting wire and a second end of the resistor coupled to the first end of the second superconducting wire. The device includes a current source coupled with the first superconducting wire, and coupled with a combination of the resistor and the second superconducting wire.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electronic device, comprising:
a first superconducting wire having a first threshold superconducting current, wherein the first superconducting wire includes a first end of the first superconducting wire and a second end of the first superconducting wire;
a second superconducting wire having a second threshold superconducting current that is less than the first threshold superconducting current, wherein:
the second superconducting wire includes a first end of the second superconducting wire and a second end of the second superconducting wire; and
the second end of the first superconducting wire and the second end of the second superconducting wire are coupled to a common voltage node;
a resistor coupled between the first superconducting wire and the second superconducting wire, with a first end of the resistor coupled to the first end of the first superconducting wire and a second end of the resistor, opposite to the first end of the resistor, coupled to the first end of the second superconducting wire; and
a current source coupled with the first superconducting wire, and coupled with a combination of the resistor and the second superconducting wire.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second end of the second superconducting wire is coupled to the common voltage node through an inductor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The electronic device of claim 2, further comprising the inductor, wherein a first end of the inductor is coupled to the second end of the first superconducting wire and a second end of the inductor, opposite to the first end of the inductor, is coupled to the second end of the second superconducting wire.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the resistor has a resistance that is less than a resistance of the first superconducting wire while the first superconducting wire is in a non-superconducting state.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first superconducting wire and the second superconducting wire have a same length.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first superconducting wire has a first width and the second superconducting wire has a second width that is less than the first width.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first superconducting wire and the second superconducting wire have a same thickness.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:
when the first superconducting wire transitions from a superconducting state to a non-superconducting state, at least a first portion of a current supplied by the current source is redirected through the resistor; and
in response to the electronic device receiving light while the first superconducting wire is in the non-superconducting state, the second superconducting wire transitions from a superconducting state to a non-superconducting state.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The electronic device of claim 8, wherein at least a second portion of the current is redirected to a readout circuit in response to the second superconducting wire transitioning from the superconducting state to the non-superconducting state.

### Claim 10

An electronic device, comprising:
a first superconducting wire having a first threshold superconducting current, wherein the first superconducting wire includes a first end of the first superconducting wire and a second end of the first superconducting wire;
a second superconducting wire having a second threshold superconducting current that is less than the first threshold superconducting current, wherein:
the second superconducting wire includes a first end of the second superconducting wire and a second end of the second superconducting wire; and
the second end of the first superconducting wire and the second end of the second superconducting wire are coupled to a common voltage node;
a resistor coupled between the first superconducting wire and the second superconducting wire, with a first end of the resistor coupled to the first end of the first superconducting wire and a second end of the resistor, opposite to the first end of the resistor, coupled to the first end of the second superconducting wire;
a first photon source coupled to the first superconducting wire; and
a second photon source coupled to the second superconducting wire.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the second end of the second superconducting wire is coupled to the common voltage node through an inductor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The electronic device of claim 11, further comprising an inductor, wherein a first end of the inductor is coupled to a second end of the first superconducting wire and a second end of the inductor, opposite to the first end of the inductor, is coupled to a second end of the second superconducting wire.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the resistor has a resistance that is less than a resistance of the first superconducting wire while the first superconducting wire is in a non-superconducting state.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first superconducting wire and the second superconducting wire have a same length.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first superconducting wire has a first width and the second superconducting wire has a second width that is less than the first width.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first superconducting wire and the second superconducting wire have a same thickness.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The electronic device of claim 10, wherein:
in response to the first photon source supplying light of first intensity, the first superconducting wire transitions from a superconducting state to a non-superconducting state, thereby redirecting at least a first portion of a current through the resistor; and
in response to the second photon source supplying light of second intensity while the first superconducting wire is in the non-superconducting state, the second superconducting wire transitions from a superconducting state to a non-superconducting state, thereby redirecting at least a second portion of the current to a readout circuit.