PROPERTIES MODIFICATION OF SUPERCONDUCTING SINGLE-PHOTON DETECTORS UNDER IRRADIATION LOW-ENERGY IONS

In this paper we present the results using of combined irradiation techniques to superconducting nanomaterials for cryo device's creating for different applications. It has been shown that low energy particles irradiation of superconducting functional devices such as single-photon detectors and Hot Electron Bolometer resulted to significant improvement of the operation characteristics. The sensitivity of superconducting single photon detectors was improved up to the maximum possible QE similar to 30% at a wavelength of 1.55 microns (as determined by the absorption coefficient of the ultrathin film). The red-limit of superconducting detectors was also increased almost two times and productivity of the samples was increased up to 90%. Noise equivalent power of Hot Electron Bolometer was significantly reduced and the receiver's sensitivity was increased in range 1-3 THz. In our opinion low energy particle's irradiation of the superconducting single-photon detectors leads to effective reduction in the thickness of the functional ultrathin films without surface discontinuity that in the framework of the "hot spot" model leads to significant increasing of the quantum efficiency. The increasing of the productivity is due to the alignment of the natural inhomogeneity arising during fabrication of detectors. Apparently, the influence of irradiation on the noise equivalent power associated with a qualitative agreement with the sensitive element of bolometer with contacts pads (antenna) by partial metal implantation into superconducting ultrathin film (Andreev contacts).