# Superconducting single X-ray photon detector based on $W_{0.8}Si_{0.2}$

Zhang, Xiaofu; Wang, Qiang; Schilling, Andreas (2016). Superconducting single X-ray photon detector based on $W_{0.8}Si_{0.2}$. AIP Advances, 6(11):115104.

## Abstract

We fabricated a superconducting single X-ray photon detector based on $W_{0.8}Si_{0.2}$, and we characterized its basic detection performance for keV-photons at different temperatures. The detector has a critical temperature of 4.97 K, and it is able to be operated up to 4.8 K, just below the critical temperature. The detector starts to react to X-ray photons at relatively low bias currents, less than 1% of Ic at T = 1.8 K, and it shows a saturated count rate dependence on bias current at all temperatures, indicating that the optimum internal quantum efficiency can always be reached. Dark counts are negligible up to the highest investigated bias currents (99% of Ic) and operating temperature (4.8 K). The latching effect affects the detector performance at all temperatures due to the fast recovery of the bias current; however, further modifications of the device geometry are expected to reduce the tendency for latching.

## Abstract

We fabricated a superconducting single X-ray photon detector based on $W_{0.8}Si_{0.2}$, and we characterized its basic detection performance for keV-photons at different temperatures. The detector has a critical temperature of 4.97 K, and it is able to be operated up to 4.8 K, just below the critical temperature. The detector starts to react to X-ray photons at relatively low bias currents, less than 1% of Ic at T = 1.8 K, and it shows a saturated count rate dependence on bias current at all temperatures, indicating that the optimum internal quantum efficiency can always be reached. Dark counts are negligible up to the highest investigated bias currents (99% of Ic) and operating temperature (4.8 K). The latching effect affects the detector performance at all temperatures due to the fast recovery of the bias current; however, further modifications of the device geometry are expected to reduce the tendency for latching.

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Item Type: Journal Article, refereed, original work 07 Faculty of Science > Physics Institute 530 Physics English 2016 11 Jan 2017 17:36 02 Feb 2018 11:20 American Institute of Physics 2158-3226 Gold Publisher DOI. An embargo period may apply. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4967278