Cosmic Microwave Technology, Inc. — National Aeronautics and Space Administration SBIR Phase I: H9

Description

Long range optical communications using Superconducting Nanowire Single Photon Detectors (SNSPDs) is a new and promising technology for deep spacecraft communications. SNSPDs are planned for use in future NASA space-to-ground laser communication. In the current state of the art, the clock rate isnbsp;limited in part by the timing jitter of the SNSPD. Improving the timing jitter of SNSPDs results in higher clock rates, higher data rates and longer ranges. nbsp;Currently timing jitters of 2.7 pS has been demonstrated in laboratory research. nbsp;The proposed research centers on the further reduction of the timing jitter while expanding the resolution of the SNSPD receivers to 64 bits.nbsp; This is accomplished by the development of a custom, low noise, low power consumption cryogenic differential amplifier architecture designed specifically for SNSPD readout. nbsp;The cryogenic differential amplifier will be operating at a physical temperature of 4 Kelvin.nbsp; nbsp;Thenbsp;low power design will enable 64 amplifiers to operate in a single cryostat. nbsp;Large-format SNSPD arrays with sub-10ps time resolution coupled to 8-meter class telescopes will revolutionize space-to-groundnbsp;communications.