Superconducting Signal Processing Circuit for SSPD Timing Jitter
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Solution Overview
Problem
The conventional multi-pixel superconducting single photon detection systems experience deterioration in timing jitter (temporal resolution) as the number of pixels increases, limiting their ability to accurately determine the time of photon incidence and identify the specific detector involved.
Innovation Solution
A signal processing circuit with separate transmission paths for time and address information generation, utilizing a superconducting digital logic circuit to output time and address information signals from multiple superconducting single photon detectors, thereby optimizing timing jitter performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the number of pixels in a multi-pixel SSPD increases to enhance spatial resolution and photon number determination capability, then the detection system's functionality is improved, but timing jitter deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the signal processing function into two independent parallel paths: a first transmission path for time information generation and a second transmission path for address information generation. This segmentation allows time information to be extracted without being affected by the increased complexity of multi-pixel address decoding, thereby resolving the timing jitter deterioration while maintaining spatial resolution capability through the address path.
2Measurement precision
If multiple transmission paths are used to process signals from multiple SSPDs, then spatial resolution is improved, but signal processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the signal processing circuit into segmented functional modules: multiple transmission paths for different SSPDs, a first transmission path for time information, and a second transmission path for address information. This modular segmentation reduces overall circuit complexity by assigning specific functions to each segment, making the system more manageable while maintaining multi-pixel spatial resolution capability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A signal processing circuit configured with a superconducting digital logic circuit and used for processing detection signals output from a plurality of superconducting single photon detectors (SSPDs) includes a plurality of transmission paths connected to the plurality of SSPDs on a one-to-one basis, a branching unit causing each of the transmission paths to branch into a first transmission path and a second transmission path, a time information generation circuit connected to the first transmission paths, and an address information generation circuit connected to the second transmission paths. The time information generation circuit outputs, based on the detection signals output from the plurality of SSPDs, a time information signal for identifying a time at which a photon is incident on the plurality of SSPDs, and the address information generation circuit outputs, based on the detection signals output from the plurality of SSPDs, an address information signal for identifying an SSPD on which a photon is incident from among the plurality of SSPDs.