Signal-to-Noise Ratio of a Thermoelectric Single-Photon Detector with Different Values of the Physical Parameters of the Sensor Material

Abstract

The processes of heat propagation in a three-layered detection pixel of a thermoelectric single-photon detector, consisting of an absorber (W), a thermoelectric sensor (La_0.99Ce_0.01B₆), and a heat sink (W) were studied using computer simulation. The absorption of UV photons with an energy of 7.1–124 eV has been studied. The simulation was based on the heat propagation equation from a limited volume. The temporal dependencies of the signal generated on the sensor were examined, and its power was determined. The equivalent power of Johnson and thermal noise was calculated. The signal-to-noise ratio was determined using different values of heat capacity, thermal conductivity, and the Seebeck coefficient of the sensor material. It was shown that the signal-to-noise ratio can be significantly greater than one. The obtained results reveal the prospects of using thermoelectric single-photon detectors as components of photonic integrated circuit.