Demonstrating a megapixel array of UV superconducting-nanowire single-photon detectors

Future high-precision UV astronomy and astrophysics observations require 100-megapixel-scale arrays of detectors which are single-photon sensitive, solar-blind, and have high detection efficiencies. Presently, there are only a few large-scale detector arrays available in the wavelength range of 90-400 nm. Notably missing are large arrays of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPD), which in single-pixel form have been demonstrated to have very high detection efficiencies (> 98% in the infrared at 1550 nm, ~80% in the UV at 370 nm), insensitivity to low-energy photons (excellent solar blindness), and high dynamic range (>9 orders of magnitude). The performance of megapixel (and higher) arrays of SNSPDs would be a valuable addition to the UV detection toolkit available for a future infrared/optical/ultraviolet (IR/O/UV) space telescope such as that described in the 2020 decadal survey (Astro2020), even bearing the fact that these detectors require cryogenic cooling infrastructure. However, current array sizes have been limited to the kilopixel scale. In order to bring a valuable UV detector technology closer to implementation in future missions, we propose to develop, fabricate, and demonstrate a megapixel SNSPD array. Such a detector array based on superconducting nanowires would be a large step towards meeting and exceeding the requirements for a future IR/O/UV space telescope. For megapixel scale and beyond SNSPD arrays, we propose to advance the recently-developed thermally-coupled-imager (TCI) architecture, which was initially developed under previous APRA grant. The architecture uses the current pulse generated by a superconducting nanowire pixel detector to generate heat (phonons) that are coupled to a superconducting transmission line. This asymmetric coupling process enables scalability well beyond any other present-day SNSPD array architectures. Just within the last year, we have progressed from our initial 1-kilopixel demonstration to successfully imaging UV photons on a 60-kilopixel array in preliminary work. Over the course of the proposed 3-year program, we will scale this multiplexing scheme to a 1-megapixel array with count rates of at least 50 Mcps over the entire array, a fill factor of 80%, and characterize it at wavelengths from 4-400 nm.

The Astrophysics Research and Analysis program (APRA) supports suborbital and suborbital-class investigations, development of detectors and supporting technology, laboratory astrophysics, and limited ground-based observing. Basic research proposals in these areas are solicited for investigations that are relevant to NASA's programs in astronomy and astrophysics, including the entire range of photons, gravitational waves, and particle astrophysics. The emphasis of this solicitation is on technologies and investigations that advance NASA astrophysics missions and goals.

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