High-resolution superconducting X-ray spectrometers with aluminum trapping layers of different thicknesses

Author

Mears, C.A. ; Labov, S.E. ; Hiller, L.H. ; Frank, M. ; Netel, H. ; Azgui, F. ; Barfknecht, A.T.

Author_Institution

Lab. for Exp. Astrophys., Lawrence Livermore Nat. Lab., CA, USA

Volume

5

Issue

2

fYear

1995

fDate

6/1/1995 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

3069

Lastpage

3072

Abstract

Superconducting tunnel junctions coupled to superconducting absorbers may be used as high-resolution, high-efficiency X-ray spectrometers. We have tested devices with niobium X-ray absorbing layers coupled to aluminum layers that serve as quasiparticle traps. We present a study of device performance as a function of thickness of the trapping layers. We measured the best energy resolution using a device with a high-quality barrier and 200 nm-thick trapping layers on both sides of the tunnel barrier. This energy resolution was 36 eV full width at half maximum at 6 keV, about 4 times better than that obtainable using semiconductor ionization detectors.<>

Keywords

X-ray absorption; X-ray detection; X-ray spectrometers; aluminium; niobium; quasiparticles; superconducting particle detectors; superconductive tunnelling; superconductor-insulator-superconductor devices; 6 keV; Nb-Al; X-ray absorbing layers; energy resolution; full width at half maximum; quasiparticle traps; superconducting X-ray spectrometers; superconducting absorbers; superconducting tunnel junctions; trapping layer thickness; tunnel barrier; Aluminum; Energy measurement; Energy resolution; Extraterrestrial measurements; Josephson junctions; Laboratories; Magnetic field measurement; Niobium; Spectroscopy; Superconducting epitaxial layers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Applied Superconductivity, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1051-8223

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/77.403240

Filename

403240