Superconductive tunnel junction array radiation detector

A radiation detection device comprising:

• at least two parallel connected members each comprising at least one superconducting tunnel junction;
• wherein at least one of said parallel connected members is formed of a series connection of N superconducting tunnel junctions;
• wherein N is an integer which is greater than the larger of A and B, and which is less than the larger of C and D;
• wherein
• A=3,
• B=0.05(SC.sub.o /(20.times.10.sup.-12 F)).sup.0.5,
• C=20(SC.sub.o /(5.times.10.sup.-12 F)).sup.0.5, and
• D=10SC.sub.o /(5.times.10.sup.-12 F);
• wherein F denotes farads, S denotes a total area of all of the superconducting tunnel junctions of said members in cm.sup.2, and C.sub.o denotes an electric capacitance per unit area of all of the superconducting tunnel junctions of said members in F/cm.sup.2.

A radiation detector comprising:

• a signal amplifier;
• and,
• a radiation detection device, coupled to an input of said signal amplifier, comprising a series connection of N superconducting tunnel junctions;
• wherein N is an integer which is greater than the larger of A and B, and which is less than the larger of C and D;
• wherein
• A=3,
• B=0.05(SC.sub.o /C').sup.0.5,
• C=20(SC.sub.o /C').sup.0.5, and
• D=10SC.sub.o /C';
• wherein S denotes a total area of said N superconducting tunnel junctions in cm.sup.2, C.sub.o denotes an electric capacitance per unit area of said N superconducting tunnel junctions in farads/cm.sup.2, and C' denotes an input electric capacitance of said input of said signal amplifier in farads.

A radiation detector comprising:

• a signal amplifier;
• a radiation detection device, coupled to an input of said signal amplifier, comprising at least two parallel connected members each including at least one superconducting tunnel junction;
• wherein at least one of said parallel connected members is formed of a series connection of N superconducting tunnel junctions;
• wherein N is an integer which is greater than the larger of A and B, and which is less than the larger of C and D;
• wherein
• A=3,
• B=0.05(SC.sub.o /C').sup.0.5,
• C=20(SC.sub.o /C').sup.0.5, and
• D=10SC.sub.o /C';
• wherein S denotes a total area of all of the superconducting tunnel junctions of said members in cm.sup.2, C.sub.o denotes an electric capacitance per unit area of all of the superconducting tunnel junctions of said members in farads/cm.sup.2, and C' denotes an input electric capacitance of said input of said signal amplifier in farads.