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Transition edge sensor-based detector: from X-ray to \(\gamma\)-ray

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Abstract

A transition edge sensor (TES) is extremely sensitive to changes in temperature, and combined with a high-Z metal of a certain thickness, it can realize high-energy resolution measurements of particles such as X-rays. X-rays with energies below 10 keV have a weak penetrating ability, hence, only gold or bismuth of a few micrometers in thickness can guarantee a quantum efficiency higher than 70%. Therefore, the entire structure of the TES X-ray detector in this energy range can be realized using a microfabrication process. However, for X-rays or \(\gamma\)-rays from 10 keV to 200 keV, submillimeter absorber layers are required, which cannot be realized using the microfabrication process. This paper first briefly introduces a set of TES X-ray detectors and their auxiliary systems, and then focuses on the introduction of the TES \(\gamma\)-ray detector with an absorber based on a submillimeter lead-tin alloy sphere. The detector achieved a quantum efficiency above 70% near 100 keV and an energy resolution of approximately 161.5 eV at 59.5 keV.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Transformative Science, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China

    Shuo Zhang, Jing-Kai Xia, Yan-Ru Song, Xu-Dong Ju, Qiang Fu & Zhi Liu

  2. Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200050, China

    Tao Sun, Wen-Tao Wu, Bing-Jun Wu & Yong-Liang Wang

  3. STAR Cryoelectronics, 25-A Bisbee Court, Santa Fe, NM, 87508-1338, USA

    Robin Cantor

  4. Shanghai Laboratory for Particle Physics and Cosmology, INPAC and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China

    Ke Han

  5. School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China

    Xiao-Peng Zhou

  6. Division of Ionizing Radiation, National Institute of Metrology, NIM, No.18 Bei San Huan Dong Lu, Chaoyang Dist, Beijing, 100029, China

    Hao-Ran Liu, Fu-You Fan, Si-Ming Guo, Jun-Cheng Liang & De-Hong Li

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  1. Shuo Zhang
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  18. Zhi Liu
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Contributions

Shuo Zhang contributed to the study of conception, system design and construction. Data collection and analysis were performed by Jing-Kai Xia, Bing-Jun Wu. Material design, selection and preparation were performed by Tao Sun, Ke Han, Wen-Tao Wu, Yong-Liang Wang, Xiao-Peng Zhou, Hao-Ran Liu, Fu-You Fan, Si-Ming Guo, Jun-Cheng Liang, De-Hong Li, Yan-Ru Song, Xu-Dong Ju and Qiang Fu. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Shuo Zhang and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. Zhi Liu contributed to the review. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shuo Zhang.

Additional information

This work was supported by the National major scientific research instrument development project (No.11927805), National Natural Science Foundation of China Young Scientists Fund (No. 12005134), Shanghai-XFEL Beamline Project (SBP) (No. 31011505505885920161A2101001), Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project (No.2017SHZDZX02), and Shanghai Pujiang Program (No. 20PJ1410900).

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Zhang, S., Xia, JK., Sun, T. et al. Transition edge sensor-based detector: from X-ray to \(\gamma\)-ray. NUCL SCI TECH 33, 84 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41365-022-01071-5

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