Quasiparticle diffusion and loss processes in superconducting tunnel junctions

J. Martin, S. Lemke, R. Gross, R. P. Huebener, P. Videler, N. Rando, T. Peacock, P. Verhoeve, F. A. Jansen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

Superconducting Tunnel Junctions (STJ) are promising as X-ray detectors. However, they still do not reach their theoretical energy resolution due to various loss processes such as the diffusion of quasiparticles out of the electrode volume and trapping in regions of reduced energy gap. Low Temperature Scanning Electron Microscopy (LTSEM) allows the investigation of inhomogeneities in the response of superconducting Nb/AlOx/Nb tunnel junctions with high spatial resolution. In this way diffusion of quasiparticles and local trapping sites can be identified directly. The impact of these processes on the homogeneity of the signal height and the energy resolution can be visualized. Furthermore, the diffusion length and the lifetime of the quasiparticles is derived. Numerical simulations show that it is necessary to further reduce signal inhomogeneities due to diffusion processes and local traps to ensure a mayor improvement in the energy resolution.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)88-90
Number of pages3
JournalNuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Volume370
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 11 Feb 1996
Externally publishedYes

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