Title :
Microfabricated transition-edge X-ray detectors
Author :
Hilton, G.C. ; Martinis, John M. ; Irwin, K.D. ; Bergren, N.E. ; Wollman, D.A. ; Huber, M.E. ; Deiker, S. ; Nam, S.W.
Author_Institution :
Nat. Inst. of Stand. & Technol., Boulder, CO, USA
fDate :
3/1/2001 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
We are developing high performance X-ray detectors based on superconducting transition-edge sensors (TES) for application in materials analysis and astronomy. Using our recently developed fully lithographic TES fabrication process, we have made devices with an energy resolution of 4.5±0.1 eV for 5.9 keV X-rays, the best reported energy resolution for any energy dispersive detectors in this energy range. These detectors utilize micromachined thermal isolation structures and transition-edge sensors fabricated from Mo/Cu bilayers with normal-metal boundary conditions. We have found the normal-metal boundary conditions to be critical to stable and reproducible low noise operation. In this paper we present details of fabrication and performance of these devices
Keywords :
X-ray detection; particle calorimetry; superconducting particle detectors; 5.9 keV; Mo/Cu bilayers; energy dispersive detectors; energy resolution; high performance X-ray detectors; microfabricated transition-edge X-ray detectors; micromachined thermal isolation structures; normal-metal boundary conditions; reproducible low noise operation; superconducting transition-edge sensors; transition-edge sensors; Astronomy; Boundary conditions; Dispersion; Energy resolution; Fabrication; Performance analysis; Superconducting materials; Thermal sensors; X-ray detection; X-ray detectors;
Journal_Title :
Applied Superconductivity, IEEE Transactions on
