Superconducting tunnel junction x-ray detectors for high resolution spectroscopy

Abstract

We are developing low-tcmpaature detectors for optical, ultraviolet, X-ray, and gamma-ray spectroscopy, and for biomolecular mass spectrometry. We present here a some of our recent work in developing these detectors and some of the first results in applying these detectors to X-ray fluorescence analysis. We have measured thin-film Nb/Al/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Al/Nb superconducting tunnel junction (STJ) X-ray detectors in the 0 2 to 1 keV band with a range of different junction sizes and aluminum film thicknesses. In one case, we have achieved the statistical limit to the energy resolution in this band. We have measured the performance of these STJ detectors as a function of count rate. and demonstrated a resolution of 13 eV FWHM at 271 eV with an output count rate of 20,600 cts/s Using X rays from SSRL to study compos- ite materials, we have demonstrated that we can resolve the L lines of transition metals from the nearby K lines of light elements We describe the first use of a low-temperature X-ray detector to measure X-ray fluoresccncc from the dilute metal component in a protein.