Single-photon detection enabled by negative differential conductivity in moiré superlattices
- Krystian Nowakowski
- Hitesh Agarwal
- Sergey Slizovskiy
- Robin Smeyers
- Xueqiao Wang
- Zhiren Zheng
- Julien Barrier
- David Barcons Ruiz
- Geng Li
- Riccardo Bertini
- Matteo Ceccanti
- Iacopo Torre
- Bert Jorissen
- Antoine Reserbat-Plantey
- Kenji Watanabe
- Takashi Taniguchi
- Lucian Covaci
- Milorad V. Milošević
- Vladimir Fal’ko
- Pablo Jarillo-Herrero
- Roshan Krishna Kumar
- Frank H. L. Koppens
2025-08-07
Detecting individual light quanta is essential for quantum information, space exploration, advanced machine vision, and fundamental science. In this work, we introduce a single-photon detection mechanism using highly photosensitive nonequilibrium electron phases in moiré materials. Using tunable bands in bilayer graphene/hexagonal boron nitride superlattices, we engineer negative differential conductance and a sensitive bistable state capable of detecting single photons. Operating in this regime, we demonstrate single-photon counting at mid-infrared (11.3 micrometers) and visible wavelengths (675 nanometers) and temperatures up to 25 kelvin. This detector offers prospects for broadband, high-temperature quantum technologies with complementary metal-oxide semiconductor compatibility and seamless integration into photonic-integrated circuits. Our analysis suggests that the underlying mechanism originates from superlattice-induced negative differential velocity.