US Patent 10386229 Gated superconducting photon detector

The various embodiments described herein include methods, devices, and systems for fabricating and operating photodetector circuitry. In one aspect, a photon detector system includes: (1) a first superconducting wire having a first threshold superconducting current; (2) a second superconducting wire having a second threshold superconducting current; (3) a resistor coupled to the first wire and the second wire; (4) current source(s) coupled to the first wire and configured to supply a current that is below the second threshold current; and (3) a second circuit coupled to the second wire. In response to receiving light at the first wire, the first wire transitions from a superconducting state to a non-superconducting state. In response to receiving light at the second wire while the first wire is in the non-superconducting state, the second wire transitions to a non-superconducting state, redirecting the first current to the second circuit.