Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detectors for Intensity Interferometry

          @misc{ pirsa_PIRSA:24100102,
            doi = {10.48660/24100102},
            url = {https://pirsa.org/24100102},
            author = {Craiciu, Ioana},
            keywords = {Cosmology},
            language = {en},
            title = {Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detectors for Intensity Interferometry},
            publisher = {Perimeter Institute},
            year = {2024},
            month = {oct},
            note = {PIRSA:24100102 see, \url{https://pirsa.org}}
          }
          

Abstract

Superconducting nanowire single photon detectors (SNSPDs) are of interest for intensity interferometry measurements because they have picosecond timing resolution. In addition, they work from the UV to mid-IR, with excellent eOiciency at visible and near-IR wavelengths, and are being fabricated into ever-larger detector arrays. On behalf of my colleagues in the JPL SNSPD group, I will present on the Deep Space Optical Communication (DSOC) demonstration, in which an SNSPD array was coupled to the 5 mHale telescope at Palomar, and received data at 267 Mbps from the Psyche spacecraft, the first optical communication between Earth and interplanetary space. The DSOC infrastructure at Palomar is suitable for intensity interferometry, as demonstrated by g(2) correlation (photon bunching) measurements of the stars Rigel and Procyon. I will also describe our current work on SNSPD array readout schemes, extending detector sensitivity into the mid-IR, and improving the system timing jitter of SNSPD arrays.