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Inderbitzin, K., Engel, A., Schilling, A., Il'in, K., & Siegel, M. (2012). An ultra-fast superconducting Nb nanowire single-photon detector for soft x-rays. Appl. Phys. Lett., 101.
Abstract: Although superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) are well studied regarding the
detection of infrared/optical photons and keV-molecules, no studies on continuous x-ray photon
counting by thick-film detectors have been reported so far. We fabricated a 100 nm thick niobium
x-ray SNSPD (an X-SNSPD) and studied its detection capability of photons with keV-energies in
continuous mode. The detector is capable to detect photons even at reduced bias currents of 0.4%,
which is in sharp contrast to optical thin-film SNSPDs. No dark counts were recorded in extended
measurement periods. Strikingly, the signal amplitude distribution depends significantly on the photon
energy spectrum.VC
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Swetz, D. S., Bennett, D. A., Irwin, K. D., Schmidt, D. R., & Ullom, J. N. (2012). Current distribution and transition width in superconducting transition-edge sensors. Appl. Phys. Lett., 101, 242603.
Abstract: Present models of the superconducting-to-normal transition in transition-edge sensors (TESs) do not describe the current distribution within a biased TES. This distribution is complicated by normal-metal features that are integral to TES design. We present a model with one free parameter that describes the evolution of the current distribution with bias. To probe the current distribution experimentally, we fabricated TES devices with different current return geometries. Devices where the current return geometry mirrors current flow within the device have sharper transitions, thus allowing for a direct test of the current-flow model.Measurements from these devices show that current meanders through a TES low in the resistivetransition but flows across the normal-metal features by 40% of the normal-state resistance. Comparison of transition sharpness between device designs reveals that self-induced magnetic fields play an important role in determining the width of the superconducting transition.
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Rasulova, G. K., Brunkov, P. N., Pentin, I. V., Egorov, A. Y., Knyazev, D. A., Andrianov, A. V., et al. (2012). A weakly coupled semiconductor superlattice as a potential for a radio frequency modulated terahertz light emitter. Appl. Phys. Lett., 100(13), 131104 (1 to 4).
Abstract: The bolometer response to THz radiation from a weakly coupled GaAs/AlGaAs superlattice biased in the self-oscillations regime has been observed. The bolometer signal is modulated with the frequency equal to the fundamental frequency of superlattice self-oscillations. The frequency spectrum of the bolometer signal contains higher harmonics whose frequency is a multiple of fundamental frequency of self-oscillations.
This work was supported by State Contracts Nos. 16.740.11.0044 and 16.552.11.7002 of Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation. Structural characterization was made on the equipment of the Joint Research Centre «Material science and characterization in advanced technology» (Ioffe Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia).
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Kardakova, A., Finkel, M., Morozov, D., Kovalyuk, V., An, P., Dunscombe, C., et al. (2013). The electron-phonon relaxation time in thin superconducting titanium nitride films. Appl. Phys. Lett., 103(25), 252602 (1 to 4).
Abstract: We report on the direct measurement of the electron-phonon relaxation time, τeph, in disordered TiN films. Measured values of τeph are from 5.5 ns to 88 ns in the 4.2 to 1.7 K temperature range and consistent with a T−3 temperature dependence. The electronic density of states at the Fermi level N0 is estimated from measured material parameters. The presented results confirm that thin TiN films are promising candidate-materials for ultrasensitive superconducting detectors.
The work was supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, Contract No. 14.B25.31.0007 and by the RFBR Grant No. 13-02-91159.
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Fedorov, G., Kardakova, A., Gayduchenko, I., Charayev, I., Voronov, B. M., Finkel, M., et al. (2013). Photothermoelectric response in asymmetric carbon nanotube devices exposed to sub-terahertz radiation. Appl. Phys. Lett., 103(18), 181121 (1 to 5).
Abstract: We report on the voltage response of carbon nanotube devices to sub-terahertz (THz) radiation. The devices contain carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which are over their length partially suspended and partially Van der Waals bonded to a SiO2 substrate, causing a difference in thermal contact. We observe a DC voltage upon exposure to 140 GHz radiation. Based on the observed gate voltage and power dependence, at different temperatures, we argue that the observed signal is both thermal and photovoltaic. The room temperature responsivity in the microwave to THz range exceeds that of CNT based devices reported before. Authors thank Professor P. Barbara for providing the catalyst for CNT growth and Dr. N. Chumakov and V. Rylkov for stimulating discussions. The work was supported by the RFBR (Grant No. 12-02-01291-a) and by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation (Contract No. 14.B25.31.0007). G.F. acknowledges support of the RFBR grant 12-02-01005-a.
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