Probing the hotspot interaction length in NbN nanowire superconducting single photon detectors

J. J. Renema, Rosalinda Gaudio, Q. Wang, A. Gaggero, F. Mattioli, R. Leoni, M. P. van Exter, A. Fiore, M. J. A. de Dood

Abstract

We measure the maximal distance at which two absorbed photons can jointly trigger a detection event in NbN nanowire superconducting single photon detector microbridges by comparing the one-photon and two-photon efficiencies of bridges of different overall lengths, from 0 to 400 nm. We find a length of 23 ± 2 nm. This value is in good agreement with the size of the quasiparticle cloud at the time of the detection event.

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