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High resolution X-ray transition-edge sensor cooled by tunnel junction refrigerators and operated above the transition temperature
Published
Author(s)
Nathan A. Tomlin, Galen C. O\'Neil, James A. Beall, Gene C. Hilton, Kent D. Irwin, Daniel R. Schmidt, Leila R. Vale, Joel N. Ullom
Abstract
We demonstrate cooling of an X-ray transition-edge sensor (TES) using solid-state refrigerators based on normal-metal / insulator / superconductor (NIS) tunnel junctions. We are able to operate the TES at a bath temperature of 260 mK, which is 75 mK above the transition temperature (185 mK), and still achieve high quality X-ray spectra with an energy resolution of 9.5 +/- 0.3 eV (FWHM) at 5.9 keV. The NIS refrigerators are able to cool the TES by 110 mK, from a bath temperature of 300 mK down to 190 mK. We also extend NIS cooling measurements by demonstrating cooling at starting temperatures as low as 60 mK.
NIS, solid-state refrigerators, transition-edge sensors, TES, johnson noise thermometry, JNT
Citation
Tomlin, N.
, O\'Neil, G.
, Beall, J.
, Hilton, G.
, Irwin, K.
, Schmidt, D.
, Vale, L.
and Ullom, J.
(2008),
High resolution X-ray transition-edge sensor cooled by tunnel junction refrigerators and operated above the transition temperature, Applied Physics Letters, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=32969
(Accessed October 10, 2025)