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

Conference · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:69228

Labov, S E; Hiller, L H; Measrs, C A; Frank, M; Netel, H; Azgui, F ^[1]; Barfknecht, A T ^[2]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
2. Conductus, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (United States)

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.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States); National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 69228
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JC--119291; CONF-941013--37; ON: DE95011733; CNN: Contract NAS5-38013; Grant NAGW-3907
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

44 INSTRUMENTATION
INCLUDING NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE DETECTORS
66 PHYSICS
DESIGN
ENERGY RESOLUTION
SUPERCONDUCTING FILMS
SUPERCONDUCTING JUNCTIONS
THIN FILMS
X-RAY SPECTROMETERS