Multispectral/fluorescence CT using superconducting tunnel junction detector for 3-D material analysis

We have developed superconducting tunnel junctions (STJs) for applications to astrophysics, particle physics, material physics, etc. The spectrum capability of STJs is the wide wavelength/energy range from visible light to X-ray. STJs are applicable to photon detectors with good energy resolution and a high photon-counting rate. STJs also have good efficiency because of their high absorption efficiency below 1 keV photon energy. This is advantageous in low photon emission observation like fluorescence from objects. STJs have potentials to open new windows of the Multispectral/fluorescence computed tomography (CT) below 1 keV photon energy. As first step, we are starting STJ-CT experiments from the high-energy X-ray region (6–20 keV). We report and discuss the CT using STJs.