Fluctuation Mechanisms in Superconductors : Nanowire Single Photon Counters Enabled by Effective Top Down Manufacturing Holger Bartolf discusses state of the art detection concepts based on superconducting nanotechnology as well as sophisticated analytical formulæ that model dissipative fluctuation phenomena in superconducting nanowire single photon detectors. Such knowledge is desirable for the development of advanced devices which are designed to possess an intrinsic robustness against vortex fluctuations and it provides the perspective for honorable fundamental science in condensed matter physics. Especially the nanowire detector allows for ultra low noise detection of signals with single photon sensitivity and GHz repetition rates. Such devices have a huge potential for future technological impact and might enable unique applications (e.g. high rate interplanetary deep space data links from Mars to Earth). Contents Superconducting Single Photon Detectors Nanotechnological Manufacturing; Scale: 10 Nanometer Berezinskii Kosterlitz Thouless (BKT) Transition Edge Barrier Phase Slips Target Groups Researchers and students of physics in the fields of single photon devices nanofabrication nanophotonics nanoelectronics and superconductivity Industrial practitioners with focus on nanotechnology and single photon detectors About the Author Holger Bartolf studied Solid State Physics at the Universities of Karlsruhe and Zürich. In 2011 he relocated at the Swiss Corporate Research Center of a leading company in power and automation technologies where his current interests focus on the applied R&D of the next generation of power semiconductors.