Photon Counting with a 24-Pixel SSPD Based Photon Number Resolving Detector

In this work we present the fabrication and the electro-optical characterization of a 24-pixel photon-number-resolving-detector, based on superconducting nanowires in a series configuration. In this configuration, the electrical responses of each firing pixel sum up into a single readout pulse whose height is proportional to the detected photon number. This device can resolve up to twenty-five distinct output levels corresponding to the detection of n = 0 - 24 photons. Due to its large dynamic range, high sensitivity, high speed and wide wavelength range, this device has potential for linear detection in the few tens of photons range.