Time-delay gating for high-performance operation of superconducting detectors

A method for controlling operation of a detection system having a superconducting detector with a plurality of nanowire sensors configured to operate simultaneously, and a controller having a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which instructions are recorded, the method comprising:

• transmitting respective signals upon detection of at least a single photon, via the plurality of nanowire sensors;
• receiving the respective signals transmitted by the plurality of nanowire sensors, via the controller;
• designating an initial signal as indicating a real event, the initial signal being above a predefined amplitude, via the controller;
• implementing a crosstalk rejection sequence, including accepting the respective signals received within a threshold time after the real event during an acceptance window, via a gating unit, and rejecting the respective signals after the threshold time for a specified rejection window;
• and
• repeating the crosstalk rejection sequence for subsequent designations of real events to achieve a desired rate of event rejection.

A detection system comprising:

• a superconducting detector having a plurality of nanowire sensors configured to operate simultaneously, the plurality of nanowire sensors being adapted to transmit respective signals upon detection of at least a single photon;
• a controller adapted to receive the respective signals transmitted by the plurality of nanowire sensors and designate an initial signal as indicating a real event, the controller having a processor and tangible, non-transitory memory on which instructions are recorded;
• a gating unit in communication with the controller, the initial signal being above a predefined amplitude;
• wherein the controller is adapted to implement a crosstalk rejection sequence, including accepting the respective signals received within a threshold time after the real event during an acceptance window, via the gating unit, and rejecting the respective signals after the threshold time for a specified rejection window;
• wherein the crosstalk rejection sequence is repeated for subsequent designations of real events to achieve a desired rate of event rejection;
• wherein the crosstalk rejection sequence is implemented when the plurality of nanowire sensors operate at a relatively high fill factor;
• and
• wherein the plurality of nanowire sensors each have a respective dead time, the controller being adapted to set the threshold time to be less than a shortest one of the respective dead time.