US 11,988,554 B2
Photon number resolving superconducting detector
Faraz Najafi, San Francisco, CA (US); Eric Dudley, Sacramento, CA (US); and Mark Thompson, Palo Alto, CA (US)
Assigned to PSIQUANTUM CORP., Palo Alto, CA (US)
Filed by PsiQuantum Corp., Palo Alto, CA (US)
Filed on Jan. 30, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/103,413.
Application 18/103,413 is a continuation of application No. 17/705,204, filed on Mar. 25, 2022, granted, now 11,629,995.
Application 17/705,204 is a continuation of application No. 16/623,503, granted, now 11,313,719, issued on Apr. 26, 2022, previously published as PCT/US2019/030019, filed on Apr. 30, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/665,491, filed on May 1, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0175887 A1, Jun. 8, 2023
Int. Cl. G01J 1/44 (2006.01); G01J 1/04 (2006.01)
CPC G01J 1/44 (2013.01) [G01J 1/0407 (2013.01); G01J 2001/4446 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A photon detector, comprising:
a superconducting component having a plurality of alternating narrow and wide portions;
a current source electrically-coupled to the superconducting component and configured to supply the superconducting component with electrical current; and
a waveguide optically-coupled to a plurality of narrow portions from the plurality of alternating narrow and wide portions, the optical waveguide tapered such that a first narrow portion of the plurality of alternating narrow and wide portions is coupled to a first portion of the waveguide having a first width and a second narrow portion of the plurality of alternating narrow and wide portions is coupled to a second portion of the waveguide having a second width, the second width being larger than the first width.