Nonlinear Optimal Filter Technique For Analyzing Energy Depositions In TES Sensors Driven Into Saturation

TL;DR

This paper introduces an advanced thermal-electrical model and a time-domain optimal filter for superconducting TES sensors, enabling precise energy analysis even when sensors are saturated, improving detection accuracy.

Contribution

The paper develops a comprehensive nonlinear model and a novel filtering technique to analyze TES pulses in saturation, enhancing energy reconstruction capabilities.

Findings

Effective analysis of saturated TES pulses

Improved energy resolution in detection

Model applicability to dark matter detectors

Abstract

We present a detailed thermal and electrical model of superconducting transition edge sensors (TESs) connected to quasiparticle (qp) traps, such as the W TESs connected to Al qp traps used for CDMS (Cryogenic Dark Matter Search) Ge and Si detectors. We show that this improved model, together with a straightforward time-domain optimal filter, can be used to analyze pulses well into the nonlinear saturation region and reconstruct absorbed energies with optimal energy resolution.