Mitigation of rf-induced critical-current shifts in superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors for trapped-ion readout
Phys. Rev. Applied 25, 044091 – Published 30 April, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/771x-57wg
Abstract
The integration of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) for state readout in trapped-ion quantum processors is hindered by their sensitivity to electromagnetic interference from ion-trapping radio-frequency (rf) fields. We demonstrate a comprehensive mitigation strategy for niobium nitride () SNSPDs that combines a conducting, optically transparent tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) shield with a nanowire of optimized geometry. Our results show that a 300-nm-wide nanowire exhibits greater resilience to rf fields compared to a 100-nm-wide device, sustaining a higher relative critical current at increased rf amplitudes. We also implement a phase-coherent active rf cancellation technique that recovers 92% of the detector’s unperturbed critical current under a rf field. Based on these findings, we demonstrate the possibility of engineering SNSPDs for compatibility with the rf environments of surface electrode traps. This combined approach provides a robust strategy for integrating SNSPDs into trapped-ion systems, which is a critical step towards scalable quantum information processing.
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
Corrections
24 August, 2026
Correction:Funder support details have been added to the Acknowledgments section.