title: Reduced dark counts in optimized geometries for superconducting nanowire single photon detectors.
abstract: We have experimentally compared the critical current, dark count rate and photo-response of 100nm wide superconducting nanowires with different bend designs. Enhanced critical current for nanowires with optimally rounded bends, and thus with no current crowding, are observed. Furthermore, we find that the optimally designed bend significantly reduces the dark counts without compromising the photo-response of the device. The results can lead to major improvements in superconducting nanowire single photon detectors.
authors.affiliation: ECE Department, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada.
authors.forename: Mohsen K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Akhlaghi
authors.forename: Haig
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Atikian
authors.forename: Amin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eftekharian
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loncar
authors.forename: A Hamed
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Majedi
mesh_terms: D016477:Artifacts; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010783:Photometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D017785:Photons