Applied Sciences (Apr 2021)

A Review of X-ray Microcalorimeters Based on Superconducting Transition Edge Sensors for Astrophysics and Particle Physics

  • Luciano Gottardi,
  • Kenichiro Nagayashi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/app11093793
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 9
p. 3793

Abstract

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The state-of-the-art technology of X-ray microcalorimeters based on superconducting transition-edge sensors (TESs), for applications in astrophysics and particle physics, is reviewed. We will show the advance in understanding the detector physics and describe the recent breakthroughs in the TES design that are opening the way towards the fabrication and the read-out of very large arrays of pixels with unprecedented energy resolution. The most challenging low temperature instruments for space- and ground-base experiments will be described.

Keywords