Overview

• Researchers from Fermilab, Caltech, and JPL have developed superconducting microwire single-photon detectors (SMSPDs) tailored for high-energy particle physics.
• SMSPDs were tested at Fermilab's Test Beam Facility, successfully detecting protons, electrons, and pions with superior spatial and temporal resolution compared to traditional detectors.
• The detectors operate as 4D sensors, simultaneously capturing particle positions and timing with sub-nanosecond precision, a key advancement for disentangling complex collision events.
• This breakthrough adapts quantum sensing technology from deep-space communication and quantum networking to meet the demands of future accelerators like the Future Circular Collider.
• The collaboration is now focused on scaling SMSPD arrays and integrating them into plans for advanced facilities, with potential applications in dark matter detection and beyond-standard-model physics.