Analysis of Josephson junctions switching time distributions for the detection of single microwave photons
Abstract
We investigate an optimal scheme for the detection of single microwave photons by a Josephson junction through the analysis of its switching times distribution. The proposed analysis is of support for the decision about the existence of the photon field, which is important in the case of rare events. We assume that the cavity and the transmission line are ideal (each photon absorbed to the cavity gives a current pulse as the output of the transmission line) and the photon source is periodic. The employed methodology consists in comparing the switching probabilities of a Josephson junction exposed to a train of current pulses, simulating a weak photon field, with that of the same device in absence of pulses. In both cases, thermal noise can induce thermal activated switchings. The investigation of the unbalance in the number of switching events in the two cases, gives an estimate of the efficiency of the detection. Furthermore, in the assumption of escapes described by Kramers model, it is possible to provide a relationship between the properties of the photons field, the quantum efficiency of the detection process, and the Josephson junctions switching features at finite temperatures.
Versions
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BibTeX
@misc{komnang2026analysis,
title = {{Analysis of Josephson junctions switching time distributions for the detection of single microwave photons}},
author = {A. S. Piedjou Komnang and C. Guarcello and C. Barone and C. Gatti and S. Pagano and Vincenzo Pierro and A. Rettaroli and G. Filatrella},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2609.25751},
eprint = {2609.25751},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.25751},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Analysis of Josephson junctions switching time distributions for the detection of single microwave photons
AU - A. S. Piedjou Komnang
AU - C. Guarcello
AU - C. Barone
AU - C. Gatti
AU - S. Pagano
AU - Vincenzo Pierro
AU - A. Rettaroli
AU - G. Filatrella
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/22
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2609.25751
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.25751
AB - We investigate an optimal scheme for the detection of single microwave photons by a Josephson junction through the analysis of its switching times distribution. The proposed analysis is of support for the decision about the existence of the photon field, which is important in the case of rare events. We assume that the cavity and the transmission line are ideal (each photon absorbed to the cavity gives a current pulse as the output of the transmission line) and the photon source is periodic. The employed methodology consists in comparing the switching probabilities of a Josephson junction exposed to a train of current pulses, simulating a weak photon field, with that of the same device in absence of pulses. In both cases, thermal noise can induce thermal activated switchings. The investigation of the unbalance in the number of switching events in the two cases, gives an estimate of the efficiency of the detection. Furthermore, in the assumption of escapes described by Kramers model, it is possible to provide a relationship between the properties of the photons field, the quantum efficiency of the detection process, and the Josephson junctions switching features at finite temperatures.
ER -