Meissner-effect transition-edge-sensor microcalorimeter
| DWPI Title: Meissner-Effect Transition-Edge-Sensor microcalorimeter device for use in X-ray and gamma-ray dosimetry and spectroscopy, has planar pickup coil located within magnetic sensing distance of absorber body and sensing change in magnetic flux through superconductive element |
| Abstract: A Meissner-Effect Transition-Edge-Sensor (ME-TES) microcalorimeter device may have one or more microcalorimeter elements, each including an absorber body composed of a superconductive element that is arranged to absorb incoming photons or radiative particles. A planar pickup coil substantially surrounds the absorber body and is located within a magnetic sensing distance of the absorber body. Absorption of incoming photons or radiative particles increases the temperature of the superconductive element, resulting in a change in magnetic flux through the superconductive element. This change in magnetic flux induces a transient electric current in the planar pickup coil that may be sensed using a readout circuit. A method is provided for fabricating an ME-TES microcalorimeter device. |
| Use: Meissner-Effect Transition-Edge-Sensor (ME-TES) microcalorimeter device for use in X-ray and gamma-ray dosimetry and spectroscopy. |
| Advantage: The microcalorimeter has reduced complexity and a potential for improved energy resolution. The device uses a single volume of superconductive material as both absorber and sensor. |
| Novelty: The microcalorimeter device (100) has a set of microcalorimeter elements (110) formed on a substrate (150), where each microcalorimeter element comprises an absorber body including a superconductive element. The superconductive element is adapted to absorb an incoming photon or radiative particle, where heating of the superconductive element due to the absorbed incoming photon or radiative particle causes a change in magnetic flux passing through the superconductive element. A planar pickup coil (130) substantially surrounds the absorber body, where the planar pickup coil is located within a magnetic sensing distance of the absorber body. The planar pickup coil is adapted to sense the change in magnetic flux through the superconductive element. A magnetic field generator generates a portion of the magnetic field around or through the absorber body of each microcalorimeter element. |
| Filed: 12/14/2022 |
| Application Number: US18081405A |
| Tech ID: SD 15750.1 |
| This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-NA0003525 awarded by the United States Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration. The Government has certain rights in the invention. |
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