Detection of X-ray photons by niobium Josephson tunnel junctions with trapped Abrikosov vortices

11th European Conference on Applied Superconductivity

Lisitskiy, M.P.^1,2 ; Camerlingo, C.^1

C.N.R.- Istituto di Cibernetica Eduardo Caianiello, Via Campi Flegrei 34, Pozzuoli, Napoli

I-80078, Italy^1

Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Napoli, Via Cinthia, Napoli

I-80126, Italy^2

关键词: Abrikosov vortices;    Experimental curves;    Gamma ray detector;    Gamma-ray photons;    Josephson tunnel junctions;    Magnetic field dependences;    Time dependence;    X ray irradiation;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/507/4/042021/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1742-6596/507/4/042021

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

The high atomic number of niobium (Z=41) can be exploited to develop a high efficiency superconducting gamma-ray detector based on a novel detection principle, namely, the interaction of a single gamma-ray photon with Abrikosov vortices trapped inside a niobium bulk absorber. To study the feasibility of this principle, niobium type Josephson tunnel junctions with the aluminium oxide as a tunnel barrier and with a thick (0.3 mm) niobium base electrode have been fabricated. The devices have been tested at T 4.2 K in terms of the current-voltage characteristic and of the magnetic field dependence of the Josephson critical current. The feasibility of the detection principle has been tested under X-ray irradiation from the55Fe source. The time dependence of the Josephson critical current of the junction with trapped Abrikosov vortices has been recorded without and with X-ray irradiation. The data analysis of obtained experimental curves has confirmed the effect of the X-ray photon absorption on the Josephson critical current caused by jumping of Abrikosov vortices.