US 11,747,196 B1
Integrated superconducting nanowire digital photon detector
Amir Jafari-Salim, Yonkers, NY (US); Daniel Yohannes, Stamford, CT (US); Oleg A. Mukhanov, Putnam Valley, NY (US); and Alan M. Kadin, Princeton Junction, NJ (US)
Assigned to SeeQC, Inc., Elmsford, NY (US)
Filed by SeeQC, Inc., Elmsford, NY (US)
Filed on Jul. 11, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/862,276.
Application 17/862,276 is a continuation of application No. 16/016,149, filed on Jun. 22, 2018, granted, now 11,385,099, issued on Jul. 12, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/524,881, filed on Jun. 26, 2017.
Int. Cl. G01J 1/44 (2006.01); G01J 1/04 (2006.01); G06F 1/10 (2006.01); H10N 60/84 (2023.01)
CPC G01J 1/44 (2013.01) [G01J 1/0425 (2013.01); G06F 1/10 (2013.01); H10N 60/84 (2023.02); G01J 2001/442 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A nanowire photon detector, comprising:
an integral substrate;
at least one superconducting nanowire configured to absorb a photon emitted from a photon source, the at least one superconducting nanowire being supported by the integral substrate;
an electrical current bias source, coupled to the at least one nanowire, configured to generate a bias current on the at least one superconducting nanowire, wherein absorption of the photon by the at least one superconducting nanowire subject to the bias current generates a voltage pulse along the at least one superconducting nanowire; and
at least one superconducting Josephson junction circuit having a logic state, formed at least partially on the integral substrate, electrically connected with the at least one superconducting nanowire, and being configured to:
receive the voltage pulse;
control a bias current of the electrical bias current source below a critical current of the at least one superconducting nanowire; and
produce a changed logic state of the at least one superconducting Josephson junction circuit dependent on receipt of the generated voltage pulse.