High quality low leakage SINIS devices made of Al-AlMn-Al layers were fabricated for energy dispersive single photon detection. Information on different heat flow channels was extracted from the measured dynamics of detector signals due to X-ray events. At the optimum operation point, the extracted effective electron temperature decreased from 88 mK down to 43 mK due to self-cooling, roughly doubling the detector sensitivity.
The determination of the absolute mass scale of neutrinos is one of the most important challenges in Particle Physics. The shape of the endpoint region of $β$-decay and electron capture (EC) spectra depends on the phase space factor, which, in turn, is function of the neutrino mass eigenstates. High energy resolution and high statistics measurements of $β$- and EC spectra are therefore considered a model-independent way for the determination of the neutrino mass scale. Since almost four decades, low temperature microcalorimeters are used for the measurement of low energy $β$- and EC spectra. T…
We have previously used an array of cryogenic microcalorimeters with 4 eV energy resolution to measure emission-line profiles and energies of the characteristic L-shell x rays of four elements of the lanthanide series: praseodymium, neodymium, terbium, and holmium. We consider the power of the same data set for the estimation of the lines' relative intensities. Intensities must be corrected for detector efficiency and self-absorption, and we estimate uncertainties on the corrections. These data represent one of the first uses of cryogenic energy-dispersive sensors to estimate the relative inte…
Athena is a space-based X-ray observatory intended for exploration of the hot and energetic universe. One of the science instruments on Athena will be the X-ray Integrated Field Unit (X-IFU), which is a cryogenic X-ray spectrometer, based on a large cryogenic imaging array of Transition Edge Sensors (TES) based microcalorimeters operating at a temperature of 100mK. The imaging array consists of 3800 pixels providing 2.5 eV spectral resolution, and covers a field of view with a diameter of of 5 arc minutes. Multiplexed readout of the cryogenic microcalorimeter array is essential to comply with …
We have developed two analytical models to describe the performance of cryogenic microcalorimeters and bolometers. One of the models is suitable to describe Transition Edge Sensor (TES) detectors with an integrated absorber, the other is suitable for detectors with large absorbers. Both models take into account hot-electron decoupling and absorber decoupling. The differential equations describing these models have been solved using block diagram algebra. Each model has produced closed form solutions for the detector's responsivity, dynamic impedance, and noise equivalent power for phonon noise…
Advances in both instrumentation and data analysis software are now enabling the first ultra-high-resolution microcalorimeter gamma spectrometers designed for implementation in nuclear facilities and analytical laboratories. With approximately ten times better energy resolution than high-purity germanium detectors, these instruments can overcome important uncertainty limits. Microcalorimeter gamma spectroscopy is intended to provide nondestructive isotopic analysis capabilities with sufficient precision and accuracy to reduce the need for sampling, chemical separations, and mass spectrometry t…
Scaling of multi-pixel cryogenic detectors for imaging becomes increasingly difficult with size due to complexity of readout circuitry and cryogenic constraints (thermal load from wiring). We propose and demonstrate a new readout scheme based on a highly stable RF oscillator composed of a superconducting tunnel junction which exhibits relaxation oscillations. The oscillation frequency is almost linear with the analog bias signal over a wide operation range. The frequency signals from different detectors can be combined into one single readout line. The current noise of an optimized circuit is …
The Cryogenic AntiCoincidence Detector (CryoAC) of ATHENA X-IFU is designed to reduce the particle background of the instrument and to enable the mission science goals. It is a 4 pixel silicon microcalorimeter sensed by an Ir/Au TES network. We have developed the CryoAC Demonstration Model, a prototype aimed to probe the critical technologies of the detector, i.e. the suspended absorber with an active area of 1 cm2; the low energy threshold of 20 keV; and the operation connected to a 50 mK thermal bath with a power dissipation less than 40 nW. Here we report the test performed on the first Cry…
The X-IFU is the cryogenic spectrometer onboard the future ATHENA X-ray observatory. It is based on a large array of TES microcalorimeters, which works in combination with a Cryogenic AntiCoincidence detector (CryoAC). This is necessary to reduce the particle background level thus enabling part of the mission science goals. Here we present the first joint test of X-IFU TES array and CryoAC Demonstration Models, performed in a FDM setup. We show that it is possible to operate properly both detectors, and we provide a preliminary demonstration of the anti-coincidence capability of the system ach…
Demonstration of a cryogenic, switchable electron source for low-temperature detector calibration
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)（美国国家标准与技术研究院）；Dipartimento di Fisica “Giuseppe Occhialini”, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca（米兰比可卡大学“朱塞佩·奥恰利尼”物理系）；Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Sezione di Milano Bicocca（意大利国家核物理研究所（INFN）米兰比可卡分部）；Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN), Sezione di Genova（意大利国家核物理研究所（INFN）热那亚分部）；Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Genova（热那亚大学物理系）
The ATHENA X-ray Observatory is the second large-class mission in the ESA Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 science programme. One of the two on-board instruments is the X-IFU, an imaging spectrometer based on a large array of TES microcalorimeters. To reduce the particle-induced background, the spectrometer works in combination with a Cryogenic Anticoincidence detector (CryoAC), placed less than 1 mm below the TES array. The last CryoAC single-pixel prototypes, namely AC-S7 and AC-S8, are based on large area (1 cm2) Silicon absorbers sensed by 65 parallel-connected iridium TES. This design has been ado…
We report on the development and demonstration of a MHz frequency domain multiplexing (FDM) technology to read out arrays of cryogenic transition edge sensor (TES) X-ray microcalorimeters. In our FDM scheme, TESs are AC-biased at different resonant frequencies in the low MHz range through an array of high-$Q$ LC resonators. The current signals of all TESs are summed at superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs). We have demonstrated multiplexing for a readout of 31 pixels using room temperature electronics, high-$Q$ LC filters and TES arrays developed at SRON, and SQUID arrays from …
Nuclear Data Needs for Microcalorimetry and Non-destructive Assay
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory（劳伦斯利弗莫尔国家实验室）；Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration（美国能源部国家核安全管理局）；Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory（劳伦斯伯克利国家实验室）；University of Colorado, Boulder（科罗拉多大学博尔德分校）；National Institute of Standards and Technology（国家标准与技术研究院）；University of California – Berkeley（加州大学伯克利分校）；Los Alamos National Laboratory（洛斯阿拉莫斯国家实验室）
