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High Speed and High Efficiency Travelling Wave Single-Photon Detectors Embedded in Nanophotonic Circuits
Ultrafast, high quantum efficiency single photon detectors are among the most
sought-after elements in modern quantum optics and quantum communication. High
photon detection efficiency is essential for scalable measurement-based quantum
computation, quantum key distribution, and loophole-free Bell experiments.
However, imperfect modal matching and finite photon absorption rates have
usually limited the maximum attainable detection efficiency of single photon
detectors. Here we demonstrate a superconducting nanowire detector atop
nanophotonic waveguides which allows us to drastically increase the absorption
length for incoming photons. When operating the detectors close to the critical
current we achieve high on-chip single photon detection efficiency up to 91% at
telecom wavelengths, with uncertainty dictated by the variation of the
waveguide photon flux. We also observe remarkably low dark count rates without
significant compromise of detection efficiency. Furthermore, our detectors are
fully embedded in a scalable silicon photonic circuit and provide ultrashort
timing jitter of 18ps. Exploiting this high temporal resolution we demonstrate
ballistic photon transport in silicon ring resonators. The direct
implementation of such a detector with high quantum efficiency, high detection
speed and low jitter time on chip overcomes a major barrier in integrated
quantum photonics