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

TL;DR

This paper discusses the development of transition edge sensor (TES) detectors capable of high-resolution X-ray and gamma-ray detection, highlighting design adaptations for different energy ranges and demonstrating a gamma-ray detector with high efficiency and resolution.

Contribution

It introduces a novel TES gamma-ray detector with a sub-millimeter lead-tin alloy absorber, expanding TES applications beyond X-ray detection.

Findings

Quantum efficiency above 70% near 100 keV

Energy resolution of about 161.5 eV at 59.5 keV

Successful implementation of a TES gamma-ray detector

Abstract

The Transition Edge Sensor is extremely sensitive to the change of temperature, combined with the high-Z metal of a certain thickness, it can realize the high energy resolution measurement of particles such as X-rays. X-rays with energies below 10 keV have very weak penetrating ability, so only a few microns thick of gold or bismuth can obtain quantum efficiency higher than 70\%. Therefore, the entire structure of the TES X-ray detector in this energy range can be realized in the microfabrication process. However, for X-rays or gamma rays from 10 keV to 200 keV, sub-millimeter absorber layers are required, which cannot be realized by microfabrication process. This paper first briefly introduces a set of TES X-ray detectors and their auxiliary systems built by ShanghaiTech University, then focus on the introduction of the TES $\gamma$-ray detector, with absorber based on an sub-millimeter lead-tin alloy sphere. The detector has a quantum efficiency above 70\% near 100 keV, and an energy resolution of about 161.5eV@59.5keV.