Superconducting tunnel junction x-ray detectors with niobium absorbers and aluminum quasiparticle traps

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:6893050

Labov, S E; Mears, C A; Morris, G W; Cunningham, C E; LeGros, M A; Silver, E H ^[1]; Barfknecht, A T ^[2]; Madden, N W; Landis, D A; Goulding, F S ^[3]; Bland, R W; Laws, K E ^[4]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
2. Conductus, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (United States)
3. Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States)
4. San Francisco State Univ., CA (United States). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy

We are developing superconducting tunnel junction devices for use as high-resolution, high-efficiency x-ray spectrometers. We have tested devices with niobium x-ray absorbing layers coupled to aluminum layers which serve as quasiparticle traps. These devices were fabricated photolithographically using a modified niobium/aluminum/niobium trilayer fabrication process. Our first devices have a very thin barrier with specific normal state resistance of 1.5 [times] 10[sup [minus]6] [Omega] cm[sup 2], and also exhibit very low leakage current of 15nA below 200 mK. The energy resolution at 6 keV is 1990 eV FWHM, and is limited both by electronic noise and by the non-linear response of the detector.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG03-91ER81109; W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6893050
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JC-111508; CONF-920792--42; ON: DE93002885
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

661300* -- Other Aspects of Physical Science-- (1992-)
665412 -- Superconducting Devices-- (1992-)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ALUMINIUM
COSMIC RAY SOURCES
COSMIC X-RAY SOURCES
DESIGN
DETECTION
ELEMENTS
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITATION
FABRICATION
JUNCTIONS
LAYERS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METALS
NIOBIUM
QUASI PARTICLES
RADIATION DETECTION
SPECTROMETERS
SUPERCONDUCTING JUNCTIONS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
X-RAY DETECTION
X-RAY SPECTROMETERS