NbN superconducting nanowire photon counters: magnetoconductivity and other detector properties

We present an analysis of magnetoconductivity measurements on NbN thin films and nanostructures as they are used for superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors. Especially the temperature-dependence of the fluctuation conductivity near the zero-field transition temperature was studied in detail. Together with complementary measurements of the optical constants of NbN films with varying thickness, strategies for improving the absorptivity in NbN thin films are developed. ©2009 American Institute of Physic