1. A device for the detection of single photons in the visible and infrared spectrum, the device comprising a waveguide layer on a substrate and a superconducting nanowire positioned atop of the waveguide layer, wherein the superconducting nanowire comprises NbTiN.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the waveguide layer is made of a material selected from the group of silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, gallium nitride, sapphire, diamond, silicon, gallium phosphide, silicon oxide, and magnesium oxide
3. The device of claim 1, wherein the superconducting nanowire comprises two longitudinal segments running along the length of the waveguide and wherein the longitudinal segments are attached to each other at one end by a curved region, thereby forming a U-shaped nanowire.
4. The device of claim 1, wherein the nanowire has a thickness of about 0.5 nm to about 100 nm.
5. The device of claim 1, wherein the length of the nanowire is about 1 \u03bcm to about 200 \u03bcm.
6. The device of claim 3, wherein the width of at least one of the longitudinal segments is about 30 nm to about 100 nm.
7. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a wafer comprising an insulator layer.
8. The device of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the waveguide layer is about 10 nm to about 5000 nm.
9. The device of claim 1, wherein the width of the waveguide layer is about 10 nm to about 5000 nm.
10. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises at least one grating coupler for coupling of an optical fiber to the device.
11. The device of claim 1, wherein the nanowire is connected to an electrode.
12. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is integrated within a photonic chip.
13. A device for the detection of single photons in the visible and infrared spectrum, the device comprising a waveguide layer on a substrate and a superconducting nanowire positioned atop of the waveguide layer, wherein the waveguide layer comprises silicon nitride.
14. The device of claim 13, wherein the superconducting nanowire is composed of a material selected from the group of NbN, NbTiN, MgB2, High Tc cubrates including YBCO, and iron based superconductors.
15. The device of claim 13, wherein the superconducting nanowire comprises two longitudinal segments running along the length of the waveguide and wherein the longitudinal segments are attached to each other at one end by a curved region, thereby forming a U-shaped nanowire.
16. The device of claim 13, wherein the nanowire has a thickness of about 0.5 nm to about 100 nm.
17. The device of claim 13, wherein the length of the nanowire is about 1 \u03bcm to about 200 \u03bcm.
18. The device of claim 15, wherein the width of at least one of the longitudinal segments is about 30 nm to about 100 nm.
19. The device of claim 13, wherein the substrate is a wafer comprising an insulator layer.
20. The device of claim 13, wherein the thickness of the waveguide layer is about 10 nm to about 5000 nm.
21. The device of claim 13, wherein the width of the waveguide layer is about 10 nm to about 5000 nm.
22. The device of claim 13, wherein the device comprises at least one grating coupler for coupling of an optical fiber to the device.
23. The device of claim 13, wherein the nanowire is connected to an electrode.
24. The device of claim 13, wherein the device is integrated within a photonic chip.
25. A device for the detection of single photons in the visible and infrared spectrum, the device comprising a buried waveguide layer in a substrate and a superconducting nanowire.
26. The device of claim 25, wherein the substrate comprises a cavity exposing at least a portion of the buried waveguide layer, and wherein the superconducting nanowire is positioned atop the exposed portion of the buried waveguide layer.
27. The device of claim 25, wherein the device further comprises a surface waveguide layer evanescently coupled to the buried waveguide layer, and wherein the superconducting nanowire is positioned atop the surface waveguide layer.
28. A device for the detection of single photons in the visible and infrared spectrum, the device comprising:
a substrate layer having a cavity;
a silicon nitride layer atop the substrate layer and cavity;
a superconductor nanowire atop the silicon nitride layer, wherein the nanowire is positioned above the cavity;
an insulator layer atop the superconducting nanowire; and
a reflector layer atop the insulator layer.
29. The device of claim 28, wherein the superconducting nanowire is composed of a material selected from the group of NbN, NbTiN, MgB2, High Tc cubrates including YBCO, and iron based superconductors.
30. The device of claim 28, wherein the cavity comprises a geometry such that an optical fiber self-aligns to the superconducting nanowire when inserted into the cavity such that light from the optical fiber passes through the silicon nitride layer and to the superconducting nanowire.
31. A system for the detection of single photons in the visible and infrared spectrum comprising:
at least one device for detecting a photon, the at least one device comprising a waveguide layer on a substrate and a superconducting nanowire positioned atop of the waveguide layer,
at least one optical fiber optically coupled to a waveguide of the at least one device; and
a tool for measuring the output of the superconducting nanowire of the at least one device.
32. The system of claim 31, wherein the waveguide layer is made of a material selected from the group of silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, gallium nitride, sapphire, diamond, silicon, gallium phosphide, silicon oxide, and magnesium oxide.
33. The system of claim 31, wherein the superconducting nanowire is made of a material selected from the group of NbN, NbTiN, MgB2, High Tc cubrates including YBCO, and iron based superconductors.
34. The system of claim 31, wherein the superconducting nanowire comprises two longitudinal segments running along the length of the waveguide and wherein the longitudinal segments are attached to each other at one end by a curved region, thereby forming a U-shaped nanowire.
35. The system of claim 31, wherein the nanowire is connected to an electrode.
36. The system of claim 31, wherein the at least one device is integrated within a photonic chip.
37. The system of claim 31, wherein the system comprises an external current source for delivering a bias current to the superconducting nanowire.
38. The system of claim 31, wherein the system comprises an RF-probe for detecting the output of the nanowire.
39. The system of claim 31, where the at least one device is housed within a cryostat.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An LED lighting device with wireless network capabilities, comprising:
an LED lighting unit configured to emit light;
an LED driving circuit configured to drive the LED lighting unit, the LED driving circuit being connected to the LED lighting unit;
a controller configured to control the LED lighting unit; and
a Wi-Fi module configured to receive and send data, the Wi-Fi module sending data to another LED lighting device.
2. An LED lighting device with wireless network capabilities, comprising:
an LED lighting unit configured to emit light;
an LED driving circuit configured to drive the LED lighting unit;
a controller configured to control the LED lighting unit, the controller being connected to the LED driving circuit; and
a Wi-Fi module configured to receive and send data, the Wi-Fi module being connected to the LED driving circuit and the LED lighting unit;
wherein the controller is integrated into the Wi-Fi module; and the Wi-Fi module sends data to another LED lighting device.
3. The LED lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the controller connects to the LED driving circuit and the Wi-Fi module.
4. The LED lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the Wi-Fi module uses an external antenna or an internally integrated antenna.
5. The LED lighting device according to claim 2, wherein the Wi-Fi module uses an external antenna or an internally integrated antenna.
6. The LED lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the Wi-Fi module connects the LED device to the internet or a local area network.
7. The LED lighting device according to claim 2, wherein the Wi-Fi module connects the LED device to the internet or a local area network.
8. The LED lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the Wi-Fi module acts as a wireless access point, a gateway, or a repeater.
9. The LED lighting device according to claim 2, wherein the Wi-Fi module acts as a wireless access point, a gateway, or a repeater.
10. The LED lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the Wi-Fi module works at 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz.
11. An LED lighting network system with two or more LED lighting devices forming a mesh or ad hoc wireless network, each LED lighting device comprising:
an LED lighting unit configured to emit light;
an LED driving circuit configured to drive the LED lighting unit, the LED driving circuit being connected to the LED lighting unit;
a controller configured to control the LED lighting unit; and
a Wi-Fi module configured to receive and send data;
wherein each LED lighting device works as a network node, transmitting signals to other LED lighting devices within its Wi-Fi coverage range.
12. The LED lighting network system according to claim 11, wherein the system is connected to the internet or a local area network through Wi-Fi signals.
13. The LED lighting network system according to claim 11, wherein each LED lighting device acts as a wireless gateway, a wireless access point, or a wireless repeater.
14. The LED lighting network system according to claim 11, wherein a remote terminal, which monitors status of an LED lighting device and controls the LED lighting device, is connected to the LED lighting device in the LED lighting network using Wi-Fi signals.
15. The LED lighting network system according to claim 14, wherein the remote terminal is a computer, a tablet, or a smartphone.