Absorber Materials for Transition-Edge Sensor X-ray Microcalorimeters

ORAL

Abstract

Arrays of superconducting transition-edge sensors (TES) can provide high spatial and energy resolution necessary for x-ray astronomy. High quantum efficiency and uniformity of response can be achieved with a suitable absorber material, in which absorber x-ray stopping power, heat capacity, and thermal conductivity are relevant parameters. Here we compare these parameters for bismuth and gold. We find that the thermal conductivity of these materials is highly dependent upon the thin film deposition technique. Furthermore, we briefly discuss the performance of our x-ray detectors when they possess cantilevered evaporated Bi/Au, electroplated Bi/Au, and electroplated Au absorbers.

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Authors

  • Ari-David Brown

    NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

  • Simon Bandler

    NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

  • Regis Brekosky

    NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

  • James Chervenak

    NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

  • Fred Finkbeiner

    NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

  • Naoko Iyomoto

    NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

  • Richard Kelley

    NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

  • Caroline Kilbourne

    NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

  • Frederick Porter

    NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

  • Enectali Figueroa-Feliciano

    Massachussetts Institute of Technology

  • Tarek Saab

    University of Florida

  • John Sadleir

    NASA GSFC/University of Illinois