Cryogenic, high-resolution x-ray detector with high count rate capability
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsMatthias Frank, Carl A. Mears, Simon E. Labov, Larry J. Hiller, Andrew T. Barfknecht
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cryogenic, high-resolution X-ray detector with high count rate capability has been invented. The new X-ray detector is based on superconducting tunnel junctions (STJs), and operates without thermal stabilization at or below 500 mK. The X-ray detector exhibits good resolution (˜5-20 eV FWHM) for soft X-rays in the keV region, and is capable of counting at count rates of more than 20,000 counts per second (cps). Simple, FET-based charge amplifiers, current amplifiers, or conventional spectroscopy shaping amplifiers can provide the electronic readout of this X-ray detector.
Claims15
An X-ray detector, comprising:
- a substrate, coated by an insulating layer;
- a base electrode attached to said insulating layer;
- a first quasiparticle trapping layer, attached to said base electrode,
- a tunnel barrier layer, attached to said first trapping layer,
- a second quasiparticle trapping layer, attached to said tunnel barrier layer, and
- a counter electrode, attached to said second trapping layer, wherein said base electrode, said first quasiparticle trapping layer, said second quasiparticle trapping layer and said counter electrode each comprise an anodized portion to reduce leakage currents from shorts which might otherwise occur at the edge of said X-ray detector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.