Superconducting microwire detectors for single photon communications

Superconducting microwire detectors (SMDs) are a recent extension of the superconducting nanowire single photon detector (SNSPD) concept offering increased width of the superconducting wires up to the micron scale. This increase allows for devices to be fabricated by quick and cheap photolithography methods; bringing a new era of scalability to the superconducting wire sensors.

This is coupled with the attraction that wider wires eases the creation of detectors with large active areas for improved optical coupling. The performance and deployment of SMDs is presented in this thesis. Investigations into the ability of large area, 1 micron and 2 micron wide wire NbTiN SMDs was performed to show their electrical and optical ability out to 1550 nm wavelength.