US 11,994,426 B1Granted

Scalable photon number resolving photon detector

AssigneePsiquantum, Corp.

InventorsFaraz Najafi, Eric Dudley

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Abstract

A photon counting device includes unit cells, a bias current source coupled to the unit cells, and a waveguide coupled to the unit cells. Each unit cell includes photodetector(s). Each photodetector includes superconducting component(s) and a transistor. The transistor includes a superconducting gate that is coupled in parallel with the photodetector(s), and a channel that is electrically isolated from the superconducting gate. For each unit cell, a photodetector is optically coupled to the waveguide. A superconducting component is configured to transition from the superconducting state to the non-superconducting state in response to a photon being incident upon the superconducting component while the superconducting component receives at least a portion of bias current output from the bias current source. The superconducting gate of the unit cell is configured to transition from the superconducting state to the non-superconducting state in response to the superconducting component transitioning to the non-superconducting state.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A photon counting device, comprising:

a plurality of unit cells, each unit cell comprising:
one or more photodetectors, each photodetector including one or more superconducting components;
a transistor having a superconducting gate element that is coupled in parallel with the one or more photodetectors and a channel element that is electrically isolated from the superconducting gate element, wherein the channel element has a first resistance while the superconducting gate element is in a superconducting state and a second resistance while the superconducting gate element is in a non-superconducting state;
and
a bias current input terminal and a bias current output terminal coupled to the one or more photodetectors, wherein the plurality of unit cells are coupled in series with one another such that a bias current output terminal of a first unit cell is coupled to a bias current input terminal of a subsequent unit cell;
a bias current source coupled to the plurality of unit cells;
and
a waveguide coupled to the plurality of unit cells, wherein, for each respective unit cell in the plurality of unit cells:
a photodetector of the respective unit cell is optically coupled to the waveguide;
a superconducting component of the one or more superconducting components of the one or more photodetectors of the respective unit cell is configured to transition from the superconducting state to the non-superconducting state in response to a photon being incident upon the superconducting component while the superconducting component receives at least a portion of bias current output from the bias current source;
and
the superconducting gate element of the transistor of the respective unit cell is configured to transition from the superconducting state to the non-superconducting state in response to the superconducting component transitioning to the non-superconducting state.

9 more elements

A method for operating a photon counting device, comprising:

applying a bias current to a plurality of unit cells, wherein the plurality of unit cells are coupled in series with one another such that a bias current output terminal of a first unit cell is coupled to a bias current input terminal of a subsequent unit cell, each unit cell comprising:
one or more photodetectors;
and
a transistor having a superconducting gate element that is coupled in parallel with the one or more photodetectors and a channel element that is electrically isolated from the superconducting gate element;
maintaining a temperature of one or more superconducting components in the one or more photodetectors and a temperature of the superconducting gate elements in the transistors below a threshold temperature;
and
in response to a photon being incident upon a photodetector of a respective unit cell of the plurality of unit cells:
transitioning, by the one or more superconducting components in the one or more photodetectors, from a superconducting state to a non-superconducting state;
redirecting at least a portion of the bias current from the photodetectors of the respective unit cell to the superconducting gate element of the transistor;
and
transitioning, by the superconducting gate element of the transistor of the respective unit cell, from the superconducting state to the non-superconducting state.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/098,235Filed 13 Nov 2020 · us provisional application
Priority: 13 Nov 2019
Granted: 28 May 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

G01J 1/44
Using electric radiation detectors: electric circuits
G01J 1/42
Photometry, e.g. photographic exposure meter: using electric radiation detectors
G01J 1/4228
Using electric radiation detectors: arrangements with two or more detectors, e.g. for sensitivity compensation
G06N 10/00
Quantum computing, i.e. information processing based on quantum-mechanical phenomena