A Model for Excess Johnson Noise in Superconducting Transition-edge Sensors

Published

May 18, 2021

Author(s)

Abigail Wessels, Kelsey Morgan, Daniel Becker, Johnathon Gard, Gene C. Hilton, John Mates, Carl Reintsema, Daniel Schmidt, Daniel Swetz, Joel Ullom, Leila Vale, Douglas Bennett

Abstract

Transition-Edge Sensors (TESs) are two-dimensional superconducting films used to detect energy or power. These detectors are voltage biased in the superconducting transition where the film resistance is both finite and a strong function of temperature. Electrical noise is observed in TESs that exceeds the predictions of existing noise theories. In this manuscript we describe a possible mechanism for the unexplained excess noise, which we will call mixed-down noise. The source is Johnson noise which is mixed down to low frequencies by Josephson oscillations in a device with a nonlinear current-voltage relationship. We derive an expression for the power spectral density of this noise and show that its predictions agree with measured data.

Citation

Applied Physics Letters

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0043369

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Citation

Wessels, A. , Morgan, K. , Becker, D. , Gard, J. , Hilton, G. , Mates, J. , Reintsema, C. , Schmidt, D. , Swetz, D. , Ullom, J. , Vale, L. and Bennett, D. (2021), A Model for Excess Johnson Noise in Superconducting Transition-edge Sensors, Applied Physics Letters, [online], https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0043369, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=931637 (Accessed October 14, 2025)