New wiring technology makes possible super-conducting detector arrays

Super conducting devices are promising as high energy-resolution detectors for soft X-ray and/or mass spectrometry. As the device size is quite small, e.g., several hundred microns squared, arraying has been one of the most important technical targets for enhancing detection efficiency. So far, it has been difficult to increase the number of arrays, because of the incoming heat problem when connecting wires from devices operated at 0.3 K to electronic circuits at normal temperature. Dr. M. Ohkubo and his colleagues at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan recently succeeded in developing a novel technology using thin co-axis wires of 0.33mm in dia. They also attached great importance to material selection. As a result, it has become possible to connect more than 100 arrays, yet the incoming heat is extremely small at 5.4 x 10^-6 W. The increase in temperature has effectively been suppressed to 15 mK. For more information, contact Dr. M. Ohkubo, Phone, +81-29-861-5685, Fax +81-29-861-5730, m.ohkubo@aist.go.jp, http://unit.aist.go.jp/riif/srg/index.htm