Effect of the Al thickness on the performance of Nb/Al/AlOx/Al/Nb superconducting tunnel junctions used as x-ray detectors

Abel Poelaert; Peter Verhoeve; Nicola Rando; Anthony J. Peacock; D. J. Goldie; R. Venn

doi:10.1117/12.256025

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31 October 1996 Effect of the Al thickness on the performance of Nb/Al/AlOx/Al/Nb superconducting tunnel junctions used as x-ray detectors

Abel Poelaert, Peter Verhoeve, Nicola Rando, Anthony J. Peacock, D. J. Goldie, R. Venn

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Proceedings Volume 2808, EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy VII; (1996) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.256025
Event: SPIE's 1996 International Symposium on Optical Science, Engineering, and Instrumentation, 1996, Denver, CO, United States

Abstract

Nb/Al/AlO_x/Al/Nb superconducting tunnel junctions (STJs) have been studied extensively as photon detectors, because of their intrinsic capabilities in terms of charge output and energy resolving power. A critical element in such an STJ is the aluminum layer which separates the superconductive Nb from the AlO_x tunnel barrier. In this paper, the role of this Al layer is investigated. The behavior of high quality STJs, differing by the Al thickness only, is analyzed. Five thicknesses ranging between 5 nm and 120 nm are considered. The charge output, the energy linearity and resolution for the case of 6 keV x-ray photons are discussed.

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Abel Poelaert, Peter Verhoeve, Nicola Rando, Anthony J. Peacock, D. J. Goldie, and R. Venn "Effect of the Al thickness on the performance of Nb/Al/AlOx/Al/Nb superconducting tunnel junctions used as x-ray detectors", Proc. SPIE 2808, EUV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Instrumentation for Astronomy VII, (31 October 1996); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.256025

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