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Title: Microcalorimetry and the transition-edge sensor

Abstract

Many scientific and industrial applications call for quantum-efficient high-energy-resolution microcalorimeters for the measurement of x rays. The applications driving the development of these detectors involve the measurement of faint sources of x rays in which few photons reach the detector. Interesting astrophysical applications for these microcalorimeters include the measurement of composition and temperatures of stellar atmospheres and diffuse interstellar plasmas. Other applications of microcalorimeter technology include x-ray fluorescence (XRF) measurements of industrial or scientific samples. We are attempting to develop microcalorimeters with energy resolutions of several eV because many sources (such as celestial plasmas) contain combinations of elements producing emission lines spaced only a few eV apart. Our microcalorimeters consist of a metal-film absorber (250 μm x 250μm x 3 μm of copper) coupled to a superconducting transition-edge-sensor (TES) thermometer. This microcalorimeter demonstrated an energy resolution of 42 eV (FWHM) at 6 keV, excellent linearity, and showed no evidence of position dependent response. The response of our microcalorimeters depends both on the temperature of the microcalorimeter and on the electrical current conducted through the TES thermometer. We present a microcalorimeter model that extends previous microcalorimeter theory to include additional current dependent effects. The model makes predictions about the effects ofmore » various forms of noise. In addition, the model helps us to understand what measurements are useful for characterizing TES microcalorimeters. While the energy resolution we obtained was quite good (twice as good as conventional semiconductor-based x-ray detectors), the obtained resolution was not as good as expected, due to excess noise from fluctuations in the TES thermometer. The energy resolution of future TES microcalorimeters can be improved by redesigning the calorimeters to minimize the noise due to these fluctuations.« less

Authors:
 [1]
  1. Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
15009469
Report Number(s):
UCRL-LR-142199
TRN: US0404454
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-48
Resource Type:
Thesis/Dissertation
Resource Relation:
Other Information: TH: Thesis (Ph.D.); Submitted to Univ. of California, Davis, CA (US); PBD: 1 Apr 2000
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; 72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS; CALORIMETERS; COPPER; ENERGY RESOLUTION; FLUCTUATIONS; FLUORESCENCE; PHOTONS; RESOLUTION; STELLAR ATMOSPHERES

Citation Formats

Lindeman, Mark Anton. Microcalorimetry and the transition-edge sensor. United States: N. p., 2000. Web. doi:10.2172/15009469.
Lindeman, Mark Anton. Microcalorimetry and the transition-edge sensor. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/15009469
Lindeman, Mark Anton. 2000. "Microcalorimetry and the transition-edge sensor". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/15009469. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/15009469.
@article{osti_15009469,
title = {Microcalorimetry and the transition-edge sensor},
author = {Lindeman, Mark Anton},
abstractNote = {Many scientific and industrial applications call for quantum-efficient high-energy-resolution microcalorimeters for the measurement of x rays. The applications driving the development of these detectors involve the measurement of faint sources of x rays in which few photons reach the detector. Interesting astrophysical applications for these microcalorimeters include the measurement of composition and temperatures of stellar atmospheres and diffuse interstellar plasmas. Other applications of microcalorimeter technology include x-ray fluorescence (XRF) measurements of industrial or scientific samples. We are attempting to develop microcalorimeters with energy resolutions of several eV because many sources (such as celestial plasmas) contain combinations of elements producing emission lines spaced only a few eV apart. Our microcalorimeters consist of a metal-film absorber (250 μm x 250μm x 3 μm of copper) coupled to a superconducting transition-edge-sensor (TES) thermometer. This microcalorimeter demonstrated an energy resolution of 42 eV (FWHM) at 6 keV, excellent linearity, and showed no evidence of position dependent response. The response of our microcalorimeters depends both on the temperature of the microcalorimeter and on the electrical current conducted through the TES thermometer. We present a microcalorimeter model that extends previous microcalorimeter theory to include additional current dependent effects. The model makes predictions about the effects of various forms of noise. In addition, the model helps us to understand what measurements are useful for characterizing TES microcalorimeters. While the energy resolution we obtained was quite good (twice as good as conventional semiconductor-based x-ray detectors), the obtained resolution was not as good as expected, due to excess noise from fluctuations in the TES thermometer. The energy resolution of future TES microcalorimeters can be improved by redesigning the calorimeters to minimize the noise due to these fluctuations.},
doi = {10.2172/15009469},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/15009469}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 2000},
month = {Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 2000}
}

Thesis/Dissertation:
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