Timing jitter of cascade switch superconducting nanowire single photon detectors

We investigate the timing jitter in parallel superconducting NbN-nanowire single photon detectors based on a cascade switch mechanism. The measured timing jitter is asymmetric and has an oscillatory dependence on bias current. At the highest bias current the full width at half maximum was 1.5 times larger than an on-chip reference meander NbN nanowire. A physical model of the dynamics occurring during cascade switch is developed, that quantitatively accounts for our observations as a consequence of different nanowire critical currents within the detector. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3237172]