Experimental test of the hybrid superconducting pixel detector principle

We demonstrate the hybrid superconducting pixel detector (HSPD) principle using a test configuration. This device consists of a Si detector bonded by ultra-thin Al wires to a high quality Nb/AlOx/Nb Josephson Tunnel Junction acting as current sensitive discriminator. Experimental data, obtained with a 106Ru beta source, clearly show minimum ionising particle (mip) detection capability. The efficiency of the tested device reaches 90% with signals corresponding to 2 mips and it can be significantly improved once the complete device is monolithically integrated in one circuit.