Position-sensitive superconductor detectors. (23rd December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kurakado, M.; Taniguchi, K.
• Is Part Of: Journal of instrumentation. Volume 11:Number 12(2016:Dec.)
• Page Start: C12071
• Page End: C12071
• Publication Date: 2016-12-23
• Subjects: Superconductive detectors (bolometers, tunnel junctions etc) -- X-ray detectors -- Solid state detectors; Scientific apparatus and instruments -- Periodicals; 502.84
• DOI: 10.1088/1748-0221/11/12/C12071
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1748-0221

Abstract

Abstract: Superconducting tunnel junction (STJ) detectors and superconducting transition- edge sensors (TESs) are representative superconductor detectors having energy resolutions much higher than those of semiconductor detectors. STJ detectors are thin, thereby making it suitable for detecting low-energy X rays. The signals of STJ detectors are more than 100 times faster than those of TESs. By contrast, TESs are microcalorimeters that measure the radiation energy from the change in the temperature. Therefore, signals are slow and their time constants are typically several hundreds of μ s. However, TESs possess excellent energy resolutions. For example, TESs have a resolution of 1.6 eV for 5.9-keV X rays. An array of STJs or TESs can be used as a pixel detector. Superconducting series-junction detectors (SSJDs) comprise multiple STJs and a single-crystal substrate that acts as a radiation absorber. SSJDs are also position sensitive, and their energy resolutions are higher than those of semiconductor detectors. In this paper, we give an overview of position-sensitive superconductor detectors.