Low-energy response of superconducting tunnel junction X-ray spectrometers

Author

Labov, S.E. ; Hiller, L.H. ; Mears, C.A. ; 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

3034

Lastpage

3037

Abstract

Thin film structures incorporating metallic superconducting layers and tunnel junctions can be configured as low-energy X-ray spectrometers. We present results obtained when low-energy X-rays are absorbed in niobium films coupled to aluminum layers that serve as quasiparticle traps in an Nb/Al/Al/sub 2/O/sub 3//Al/Nb tunnel junction X-ray detector. The linearity of the pulse height as a function of energy Is discussed along with the energy dependence of the observed resolution and its relation to the broadening mechanisms. A resolution of 14 eV at 1 keV has been measured with our detector cooled to 0.3 K.<>

Keywords

X-ray detection; X-ray spectrometers; superconducting particle detectors; 0.3 K; 1 keV; Nb-Al-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/-Al-Nb; Nb/Al/Al/sub 2/O/sub 3//Al/Nb junction; X-ray spectrometers; aluminum layers; energy resolution; low-energy response; niobium films; pulse height linearity; quasiparticle traps; superconducting tunnel junction; thin film structures; Aluminum; Energy resolution; Josephson junctions; Linearity; Niobium; Spectroscopy; Superconducting epitaxial layers; Superconducting films; Superconducting thin films; X-ray detectors;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Applied Superconductivity, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1051-8223

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/77.403231

Filename

403231