NIST: Single Photon Superconducting Nanowire Detectors (SNSPDs)

As a NRC Postdoctoral Fellow in the remote sensing group at National Institute of Standards of Technology (NIST), I developed novel methods to traceably measure the quantum efficiency and stability of superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs) in the challenging mid-infrared wavelength range from 3 µm to 25 µm. One reason that precise measurements of SNSPDs in the mid-IR region have not been conducted yet is that it is experimentally difficult to limit the effect of room temperature background radiation. Regardless, this wavelength range is rich with chemical and biological signatures to help characterize the planet formation processes that could lead to habitable conditions and to understand how galaxies evolve over time. Since SNSPDs have high sensitivity and stability at 1.5 µm, they are a promising at the longer wavelengths if they can be developed and tested up to 25 µm. I used CAD software to design adaptors to mount the devices and their corresponding optical and electrical components into the cryostat. I created original python software and successfully made measurements of the near-infrared SNSPDs to characterize the devices electronically and optically. I also created a detailed plan on how to develop the system to measure at longer wavelengths.