NOTICE: Due to a lapse in annual appropriations, most of this website is not being updated. Learn more.

Form submissions will still be accepted but will not receive responses at this time. Sections of this site for programs using non-appropriated funds (such as NVLAP) or those that are excepted from the shutdown (such as CHIPS and NVD) will continue to be updated.

U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

PUBLICATIONS

Photon-noise limited sensitivity in titanium nitride kinetic inductance detectors

Published

Author(s)

Johannes Hubmayr, James A. Beall, Daniel T. Becker, Hsiao-Mei Cho, Gene C. Hilton, Dale Li, David P. Pappas, Jeffrey L. Van Lanen, Mark Devlin, Kent D. Irwin, Chris Groppi, Phillip Mauskopf

Abstract

We demonstrate photon-noise limited performance at sub-millimeter wavelengths in microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKIDs) made of a new superconducting material, a TiN/Ti/TiN trilayer film. Optical coupling is achieved by use of feedhorns, a standard approach at sub-millimeter wavelengths that is an emerging MKID coupling scheme. The lumped-element detector design enables dual-polarization sensitivity. The devices are fabricated on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer. Micro-machining of the SOI wafer backside creates a quarter-wavelength backshort optimized for efficient coupling at 250 μm. When viewing a variable temperature thermal source, devices show noise consistent with that due to photon fluctuations at photon loads > 1 pW, suitable for broadband photometric applications.
Citation
Applied Physics Letters
Volume
106
Issue
7
Pub Type
Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4913418
Physics and Condensed matter

Citation

Hubmayr, J. , Beall, J. , Becker, D. , Cho, H. , Hilton, G. , Li, D. , Pappas, D. , Van, J. , Devlin, M. , Irwin, K. , Groppi, C. and Mauskopf, P. (2015), Photon-noise limited sensitivity in titanium nitride kinetic inductance detectors, Applied Physics Letters, [online], https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4913418 (Accessed October 16, 2025)

Issues

If you have any questions about this publication or are having problems accessing it, please contact [email protected].

Created February 20, 2015, Updated November 10, 2018
Was this page helpful?