T Oku

Development of a neutron detector based on a position-sensitive photomultiplier

A neutron scintillation detector based on a position-sensitive photomultiplier has been developed for neutron spin echo and small angle neutron scattering measurements. This photomultiplier has good spatial resolution, less than 1 mm2. The detection efficiency of gamma ray background is very low for using a thin ZnS/6LiF scintillator. The effective area of this detector is around 60 cm2.

Development of superconducting tunnel junctions with an aluminum-oxide insulation layer for X-ray detection

Superconducting tunnel junctions (STJ), with a buffer layer between the silicon substrate and junction, are being developed for use as high-resolution X-ray detectors. Aluminum-oxide (Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/) is employed as the buffer layer in order to suppress the phonon mediated background from the Si substrate. The extent of phonon insulation was studied by measuring the X-ray spectra of STJs as a function of buffer layer thickness. The phonon insulation ability of Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ was compared to that of magnesium-oxide. The Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ layer should be a good phonon insulator, with the ability to suppress phonons with a single buffer layer.

Properties of Substrate Phonon Events in Superconducting Tunnel Junctions Induced by X-Ray Absorption.

The spectra of substrate phonon events induced by illuminating with X-rays obtained with Nb-based superconducting tunnel junctions (STJs) fabricated on a sapphire substrate were examined. We constructed a geometrical model in which the collection efficiency of phonons is proportional to the solid angle subtended to the STJ from the position of the absorption. By using the Monte-Carlo simulation, we succeeded in fairly reproducing the features of the spectra obtained by our measurements. A comparison of the model spectra with the measured ones revealed that a mismatch of the acoustic impedance at the junction-substrate interface and the spatial spread of a phonon cloud play an important role in the determination of the spectra. By including these effects, we show that the measured spectra can be well reproduced by adjusting only one free parameter, the radius of the phonon cloud. We estimated this radius in a sapphire substrate to be ~20 µm under 5.9 keV X-ray illumination.

A high-resolution X-ray detection system using STJ and SQUID amplifier

We succeeded in separating the STJ upper electrode events from other electrode events. This study is for X-ray spectroscopy of slow ions. With a SQUID amplifier, it is clearly seen that the upper electrode signal has a sharp peak with a narrow base, while the other has a relatively gentle peak with a wide base. The difference in signal width was used to separate the upper electrode events from other electrode events. Then the X-ray spectroscopy of slow highly charged ions was carried out at RIKEN. The results are shown here.

Detection of heavy ions by a superconducting tunnel junction

Abstract Instantaneous switching to the voltage state of a superconducting tunnel junction (STJ) following a decrease in the critical current induced by a heavy ion beam was observed by introducing 40Ar particles with a kinetic energy of 95 MeV/nucleon into an Nb/Al–AlOx/Nb STJ. The particle detection by using this rapid switching of STJ could realize fast timing measurements at the level of ps.

Detection of heavy ions using Nb-based superconducting tunnel junction

The superconducting tunnel junction (STJ) is one of the most promising devices to use as a fast detector for heavy ions. The energy deposited due to the passage of a heavy ion through an STJ forms a region called a hot spot, where the superconductivity of the region is broken. As a result, a reduction of the critical current (I/sub c/) in the STJ occurs. If the bias current exceeds this reduced I/sub c/, the output voltage from the STJ switches from 0 V to its gap voltage, which is recognizable as a signal due to the heavy ion passage. Nb-based STJs were fabricated for this heavy ion detector and an experiment was performed at the RIKEN Ring Cyclotron Facility to investigate the response to heavy ions. Instantaneous switching to the voltage state of the STJ in response to the decrease in I/sub c/ induced by a heavy ion beam was successfully observed by introducing /sup 40/Ar particles with a kinetic energy of 95 MeV/nucleon into the STJ.

High-resolution X-ray detectors based on superconducting tunnel junction with SQUID readout

Abstract We are developing high-resolution X-ray detectors based on superconducting tunnel junctions (STJs). A two-stage superconducting quantum-interference device (SQUID) amplifier with high gain, low noise and high sensitivity was employed as a readout electronic device. We have developed the STJ readout circuit which makes it possible to optimize the STJ bias condition without disturbing the operating point of the SQUID amplifier. High-resolution X-ray detectors using our system is discussed.