Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

A broadband superconducting detector suitable for use in large arrays

Nature volume 425, pages 817–821 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

Cryogenic detectors are extremely sensitive and have a wide variety of applications1,2,3 (particularly in astronomy4,5,6,7,8), but are difficult to integrate into large arrays like a modern CCD (charge-coupled device) camera. As current detectors of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) already have sensitivities comparable to the noise arising from the random arrival of CMB photons, the further gains in sensitivity needed to probe the very early Universe will have to arise from large arrays. A similar situation is encountered at other wavelengths. Single-pixel X-ray detectors now have a resolving power of ΔE < 5 eV for single 6-keV photons, and future X-ray astronomy missions7 anticipate the need for 1,000-pixel arrays. Here we report the demonstration of a superconducting detector that is easily fabricated and can readily be incorporated into such an array. Its sensitivity is already within an order of magnitude of that needed for CMB observations, and its energy resolution is similarly close to the targets required for future X-ray astronomy missions.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: An illustration of the detection principle.
Figure 2: A microscope photograph of the device tested.
Figure 3: The microwave measurement set-up and the phase calibration of the detector. A low-phase noise microwave synthesizer (right inset) generates the fixed-frequency signal used to excite the detector, which is cooled in a dilution refrigerator.
Figure 4: Single-photon X-ray pulses measured at 70 and 300 mK.
Figure 5: A plot of the noise measured for the test device; several other devices have given similar results.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Newbury, D. et al. The approaching revolution in X-ray microanalysis: The microcalorimeter energy dispersive spectrometer. J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. 244, 627–635 (2000)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Booth, N., Cabrera, B. & Fiorini, E. Low-temperature particle detectors. Annu. Rev. Nucl. Part. Sci. 46, 471–532 (1996)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Saab, T. et al. Deployment of the first CDMS II ZIP detectors at the Stanford Underground Facility. Nucl. Phys. B 110, 100–102 (2002)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Peacock, A. et al. Single optical photon detection with a superconducting tunnel junction. Nature 381, 135–137 (1996)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Cabrera, B. et al. Detection of single infrared, optical, and ultraviolet photons using superconducting transition edge sensors. Appl. Phys. Lett. 73, 735–737 (1998)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Lee, S., Gildemeister, J., Holmes, W., Lee, A. & Richards, P. Voltage-biased superconducting transition-edge bolometer with strong electrothermal feedback operated at 370 mK. Appl. Opt. 37, 3391–3397 (1998)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. de Korte, P. Cryogenic imaging spectrometers for X-ray astronomy. Nucl. Instrum. Meth. A 444(1–2), 163–169 (2000)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Rando, N. et al. S-cam: A spectrophotometer for optical astronomy: Performance and latest results. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 71(12), 4582–4591 (2000)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Twerenbold, D. Giaever-type superconducting tunneling junctions as high-resolution X-ray-detectors. Europhys. Lett. 1(5), 209–214 (1986)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Kraus, H. et al. High-resolution X-ray-detection with superconducting tunnel-junctions. Europhys. Lett. 1(4), 161–166 (1986)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Irwin, K., Hilton, G., Wollman, D. & Martinis, J. X-ray detection using a superconducting transition-edge sensor microcalorimeter with electrothermal feedback. Appl. Phys. Lett. 69(13), 1945–1947 (1996)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Irwin, K. et al. A Mo-Cu superconducting transition-edge microcalorimeter with 4.5 eV energy resolution at 6 keV. Nucl. Instrum. Meth. A 444, 184–187 (2000)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Angloher, G. et al. Energy resolution of 12 eV at 5.9 keV from Al superconducting tunnel junction detectors. J. Appl. Phys. 89, 1425–1429 (2001)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Li, L. et al. Improved energy resolution of X-ray single photon imaging spectrometers using superconducting tunnel junctions. J. Appl. Phys. 90, 3645–3647 (2001)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Chervenak, J. et al. Superconducting multiplexer for arrays of transition edge sensors. Appl. Phys. Lett. 74, 4043–4045 (1999)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Yoon, J. et al. Single superconducting quantum interference device multiplexer for arrays of low-temperature sensors. Appl. Phys. Lett. 78, 371–373 (2001)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Mazin, B. A., Day, P. K., Leduc, H. G., Vayonakis, A. & Zmuidzinas, J. Superconducting kinetic inductance photon detectors. Proc. SPIE 4849, 283–293 (2002)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. Tinkham, M. Introduction to Superconductivity, 2nd edn (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1996)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Kozorezov, A. G. et al. Quasiparticle-phonon downconversion in nonequilibrium superconductors. Phys. Rev. B 61 (May), 11807–11819 (2000)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Mattis, D. C. & Bardeen, J. Theory of the anomalous skin effect in normal and superconducting metals. Phys. Rev. 111, 412–417 (1958)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  21. Moseley, S., Mather, J. & McCammon, D. Thermal detectors as x-ray spectrometers. J. Appl. Phys. 56, 1257–1262 (1984)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Wilson, C., Frunzio, L. & Prober, D. Time-resolved measurements of thermodynamic fluctuations of the particle number in a nondegenerate Fermi gas. Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 067004 (2001)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Sergeev, A., Mitin, V. & Karasik, B. Ultrasensitive hot-electron kinetic-inductance detectors operating well below the superconducting transition. Appl. Phys. Lett. 80, 817–819 (2002)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Zmuidzinas, J. & LeDuc, H. G. Quasi-optical slot antenna SIS mixers. IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech. MTT-40, 1797–1804 (1992)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  25. Li, L., Frunzio, L., Wilson, C. & Prober, D. Quasiparticle nonequilibrium dynamics in a superconducting Ta film. J. Appl. Phys. 93, 1137–1141 (2003)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Chang, W. Inductance of a superconducting strip transmission-line. J. Appl. Phys. 50, 8129–8134 (1979)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  27. McMillan, W. Transition temperature of strong-coupled superconductors. Phys. Rev. 167, 331–334 (1968)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Wells, G. L., Jackson, J. E. & Mitchell, E. N. Superconducting tunneling in single-crystal and polycrystal films of aluminum. Phys. Rev. B 1, 3636–3644 (1970)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  29. Kaplan, S. et al. Quasiparticle and phonon lifetimes in superconductors. Phys. Rev. B 14, 4854–4873 (1976)

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work has been supported in part by NASA (Aerospace Technology Enterprise), the JPL Director's Research and Development Fund, and the Caltech President's Fund. We are grateful for the support of A. Lidow, Caltech Trustee.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, 91107, USA

    Peter K. Day & Henry G. LeDuc

  2. California Institute of Technology, 320-47, Pasadena, 91125, California, USA

    Benjamin A. Mazin, Anastasios Vayonakis & Jonas Zmuidzinas

Authors
  1. Peter K. Day
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Henry G. LeDuc
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Benjamin A. Mazin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Anastasios Vayonakis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jonas Zmuidzinas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter K. Day.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Day, P., LeDuc, H., Mazin, B. et al. A broadband superconducting detector suitable for use in large arrays. Nature 425, 817–821 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature02037

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature02037

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing