High-resolution superconducting x-ray spectrometers with an active area of 282 um x 282 um

Conference · Wed Sep 11 00:00:00 EDT 1996

OSTI ID:647023

Mears, C A; Labov, S E; Frank, M; Netel, H; Hiller, L J; Lindeman, M A; Chow, D; Barfknecht, A T

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. In this work we measured the current pulses from a large area tunnel junction using an amplifier based on an array of 100 SQUIDs. Using this amplifier and a 282 micron X 282 micron junction, we have measured an energy resolution of 19 eV FWHM for 1.5 keV X rays and 21 eV for 2.6 keV X rays. The area of this junction is eight times the area of any junction previously measured to have such high energy resolution.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 647023
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JC-125225; CONF-960850-; ON: DE98052045; BR: GC0401000; TRN: 98:009235
• Resource Relation: Conference: Applied superconductivity conference, Pittsburgh, PA (United States), 25-30 Aug 1996; Other Information: PBD: 11 Sep 1996
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

44 INSTRUMENTATION
INCLUDING NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE DETECTORS
66 PHYSICS
X-RAY SPECTROMETERS
RESOLUTION
DESIGN
SUPERCONDUCTING DEVICES
AMPLIFIERS
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES