Performance of cryogenic microbolometers and calorimeters with on-chip coolers

Astronomical observations of cosmic sources in the far-infrared and X-ray bands require extreme sensitivity. The most sensitive detectors are cryogenic bolometers and calorimeters operating typically at about 100 mK. The last stage of cooling (from 300 mK to 100 mK) often poses significant difficulties in space-borne experiments, both in system complexity and reliability. We address the possibility of using refrigeration based on normal metal/insulator/superconductor (NIS) tunnel junctions as the last stage cooler for cryogenic thermal detectors. We compare two possible schemes: the direct cooling of the electron gas of the detector with the aid of NIS tunnel junctions and the indirect cooling method, when the detector lattice is cooled by the refrigerating system, while the electron gas temperature is decreased by electron-phonon interaction. The latter method is found to allow at least an order of magnitude improvement in detector noise equivalent power, when compared to the direct electron cooling.Comment: 3 pages, 1 figur

A superconducting antenna-coupled hot-spot microbolometer

We report the electrical properties of an antenna-coupled niobium vacuum-bridge bolometer, operated at a temperature of 4.2 K, in which the thermal isolation is maximized by the vacuum gap between the bridge and the underlying silicon substrate. The device is voltage-biased, which results in a formation of a normal state region in the middle of the bridge. The device shows a current responsivity of −1430 A/W and an amplifier limited electrical noise equivalent power of 1.4×10−14 W/√Hz.Peer reviewe

Quantization of the elastic modes in an isotropic plate

We quantize the elastic modes in a plate. For this, we find a complete, orthogonal set of eigenfunctions of the elastic equations and we normalize them. These are the phonon modes in the plate and their specific forms and dispersion relations are manifested in low temperature experiments in ultra-thin membranes.Comment: 14 pages, 2 figure

Effect of a thin AlO_x layer on transition-edge sensor properties

We have studied the physics of transition-edge sensor (TES) devices with an insulating AlOx layer on top of the device to allow implementation of more complex detector geometries. By comparing devices with and without the insulating film, we have observed significant additional noise apparently caused by the insulator layer. In addition, AlOx was found to be a relatively good thermal conductor. This adds an unforeseen internal thermal feature to the system.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, Low Temperature Detectors 14 conferenc

Ultrasensitive Proximity Josephson Sensor with Kinetic Inductance Read-Out

We propose a mesoscopic kinetic-inductance radiation detector based on a long superconductor--normal metal--superconductor Josephson junction. The operation of this proximity Josephson sensor (PJS) relies on large kinetic inductance variations under irradiation due to the exponential temperature dependence of the critical current. Coupled with a dc SQUID readout, the PJS is able to provide a signal to noise (S/N) ratio up to ~10^3 in the THz regime if operated as calorimeter, while electrical noise equivalent power (NEP) as low as ~7x10^{-20} W(Hz)^(-1/2) at 200 mK can be achieved in the bolometer operation. The high performance together with the ease of fabrication make this structure attractive as an ultrasensitive cryogenic detector of THz electromagnetic radiation.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Fluctuation superconductivity limited noise in a transition-edge sensor

In order to investigate the origin of the until now unaccounted excess noise and to minimize the uncontrollable phenomena at the transition in X-ray microcalorimeters we have developed superconducting transition-edge sensors into an edgeless geometry, the so-called Corbino disk (CorTES), with superconducting contacts in the centre and at the outer perimeter. The measured rms current noise and its spectral density can be modeled as resistance noise resulting from fluctuations near the equilibrium superconductor-normal metal boundaryComment: 9 pages, 4 figures.; Corrections to text and equations; replaced the affected figures. Added reference [12

Influence of temperature gradients on tunnel junction thermometry below 1 K: cooling and electron-phonon coupling

We have studied thermal gradients in thin Cu and AlMn wires, both experimentally and theoretically. In the experiments, the wires were Joule heated non-uniformly at sub-Kelvin temperatures, and the resulting temperature gradients were measured using normal metal-insulator-superconducting tunnel junctions. The data clearly shows that even in reasonably well conducting thin wires with a short ($\sim 10 \mu$m) non-heated portion, significant temperature differences can form. In most cases, the measurements agree well with a model which includes electron-phonon interaction and electronic thermal conductivity by the Wiedemann-Franz law.Comment: J. Low Temp. Phys. in pres

Opportunities for mesoscopics in thermometry and refrigeration: Physics and applications

This review presents an overview of the thermal properties of mesoscopic structures. The discussion is based on the concept of electron energy distribution, and, in particular, on controlling and probing it. The temperature of an electron gas is determined by this distribution: refrigeration is equivalent to narrowing it, and thermometry is probing its convolution with a function characterizing the measuring device. Temperature exists, strictly speaking, only in quasiequilibrium in which the distribution follows the Fermi-Dirac form. Interesting nonequilibrium deviations can occur due to slow relaxation rates of the electrons, e.g., among themselves or with lattice phonons. Observation and applications of nonequilibrium phenomena are also discussed. The focus in this paper is at low temperatures, primarily below 4 K, where physical phenomena on mesoscopic scales and hybrid combinations of various types of materials, e.g., superconductors, normal metals, insulators, and doped semiconductors, open up a rich variety of device concepts. This review starts with an introduction to theoretical concepts and experimental results on thermal properties of mesoscopic structures. Then thermometry and refrigeration are examined with an emphasis on experiments. An immediate application of solid-state refrigeration and thermometry is in ultrasensitive radiation detection, which is discussed in depth. This review concludes with a summary of pertinent fabrication methods of presented devices.Comment: Close to the version published in RMP; 59 pages, 35 figure