Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors
Heifer International



Home > Press > Sander Dorenbos: seeing the (almost) invisible with nano-wires quality - part 1

Sander Dorenbos
Sander Dorenbos

Abstract:
A new device based on superconducting nano-materials helps to detect single photons with higher efficiency - by SERGIO PISTOI

Sander Dorenbos: seeing the (almost) invisible with nano-wires quality - part 1

Brussels, Belgium | Posted on April 19th, 2012

Detecting a single photon may seem overkill for most purposes. However, looking at such tiny amounts of light is essential for researchers working with quantum computers as well as for chip manufacturers, just to mention two examples. Sander Dorenbos and Val Zwiller, two scientists from the University of Delft, have developed a way to double the efficiency of currently commercially available single photons detectors. In early 2012, they have founded a company together with Floor van de Pavert (see related article) to commercialize their technology.

Dr. Dorenbos, what is the technology behind your single photon detector?

Our device is based on a superconducting nano-wire. It is basically a 5 nanometers-thick wire that becomes a superconductor if it is cooled at extremely low temperatures, below -270 °C. A single photon hitting the superconducting wire is enough to produce a signal that can be sent to an optical fibre and detected. The wire itself sits on a small chip and can be manufactured in different shapes, a grid or a spiral, for example.

How did you achieve a better sensitivity?

The original technology for nano-wire detectors was developed by other groups in the US and Russia, but the efficiency was low. We modified the design of such device so that the detection efficiency would be significantly improved. We used different materials as substrate and we added a sort of mirror behind the nano-wire that reflects the photons back, multiplying their impact. The resulting efficiency is twice that of currently available single photon detectors in the infrared spectrum.

Can you make a few examples of applications using single photon detectors?

To date, people working with single photons are mostly scientists. For example, there are lots of studies on quantum computers that use single photons as bits. Chip manufacturers also use single photon detectors to check their products: working chips emit a very tiny light that can be detected with the suitable equipment. And in the future, single photon detectors will be likely used for medical imaging.

What are the next steps of your work?

We are working to increase the efficiency further. We also aim to develop arrays with multiple detector chips that could work like extremely sensitive cameras, opening the way to new applications.

Sergio Pistoi - youris.com

####

For more information, please click here

Contacts:
Elisabeth Schmid
Phone: + 39 02 700 25 71
Fax: + 39 02 700 25 40

Copyright © youris.com

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related News Press

News and information

Researchers develop artificial building blocks of life March 8th, 2024

How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials: Research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials March 8th, 2024

Two-dimensional bimetallic selenium-containing metal-organic frameworks and their calcinated derivatives as electrocatalysts for overall water splitting March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

Physics

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Optically trapped quantum droplets of light can bind together to form macroscopic complexes March 8th, 2024

Scientists use heat to create transformations between skyrmions and antiskyrmions January 12th, 2024

Focused ion beam technology: A single tool for a wide range of applications January 12th, 2024

Superconductivity

Optically trapped quantum droplets of light can bind together to form macroscopic complexes March 8th, 2024

Chip Technology

New chip opens door to AI computing at light speed February 16th, 2024

HKUST researchers develop new integration technique for efficient coupling of III-V and silicon February 16th, 2024

Electrons screen against conductivity-killer in organic semiconductors: The discovery is the first step towards creating effective organic semiconductors, which use significantly less water and energy, and produce far less waste than their inorganic counterparts February 16th, 2024

NRL discovers two-dimensional waveguides February 16th, 2024

Quantum Computing

Researchers’ approach may protect quantum computers from attacks March 8th, 2024

Physicists ‘entangle’ individual molecules for the first time, hastening possibilities for quantum information processing: In work that could lead to more robust quantum computing, Princeton researchers have succeeded in forcing molecules into quantum entanglement December 8th, 2023

World’s first logical quantum processor: Key step toward reliable quantum computing December 8th, 2023

Optical-fiber based single-photon light source at room temperature for next-generation quantum processing: Ytterbium-doped optical fibers are expected to pave the way for cost-effective quantum technologies November 3rd, 2023

Discoveries

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Researchers’ approach may protect quantum computers from attacks March 8th, 2024

High-tech 'paint' could spare patients repeated surgeries March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Announcements

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Interviews/Book Reviews/Essays/Reports/Podcasts/Journals/White papers/Posters

Researchers develop artificial building blocks of life March 8th, 2024

How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials: Research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Tools

First direct imaging of small noble gas clusters at room temperature: Novel opportunities in quantum technology and condensed matter physics opened by noble gas atoms confined between graphene layers January 12th, 2024

New laser setup probes metamaterial structures with ultrafast pulses: The technique could speed up the development of acoustic lenses, impact-resistant films, and other futuristic materials November 17th, 2023

Ferroelectrically modulate the Fermi level of graphene oxide to enhance SERS response November 3rd, 2023

The USTC realizes In situ electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy using single nanodiamond sensors November 3rd, 2023

Photonics/Optics/Lasers

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Optically trapped quantum droplets of light can bind together to form macroscopic complexes March 8th, 2024

HKUST researchers develop new integration technique for efficient coupling of III-V and silicon February 16th, 2024

A battery’s hopping ions remember where they’ve been: Seen in atomic detail, the seemingly smooth flow of ions through a battery’s electrolyte is surprisingly complicated February 16th, 2024

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE




  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More











ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project