Cryogenic Ge Detectors for Dark Matter Search: Surface Event Rejection with Ionization Signals

A new design of an ionization-heat germanium detector for dark matter search is presented, based on the use of interleaved electrodes for charge collection. This device allows active rejection of surface events by performing the appropriate cuts in the charge measurement data. Test experiments were performed with a prototype device, fitted with annular collection electrodes and with a neutron transmutation-doped Ge thermometer. Calibration runs with gamma and neutron sources demonstrate the remarkable possibilities offered by this type of detector in terms of surface event discrimination.      

Surface Event Rejection of the EDELWEISS Cryogenic Germanium Detectors Based on NbSi Thin Film Sensors

Near-surface-events are a major limitation to the performance of cryogenic massive germanium heat and ionisation detectors for dark matter search, due to their incomplete charge collection. We present here a powerful method of surface event identification based on the transient heat signal of a Ge bolometer, equipped with two NbSi high impedance thin film sensors. Calibration runs using electrons and low energy gamma particles from a ¹⁰⁹Cd source show highly effective surface event rejection down to the heat threshold energy. Neutron and gamma source calibrations were realised to get information on the fiducial volume of the Ge absorber. First results from low background data taking are discussed.     

Towards X-ray Thermal Kinetic Inductance Detectors

Traditionally, kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs) have been thought of as non-equilibrium detectors, which detect the excess of quasiparticles from the absorbed photon. In this case, recombination of quasiparticles is the bottleneck that limits the quasiparticle lifetime. However, the response of a KID to an excess of quasiparticles from photon absorption gives a nearly identical response to the increase in quasiparticle density due to a temperature change. Thus, KIDs can be used as thermometers to detect the temperature rise in an absorber due to a thermalized X-ray photon. In this work, we present a working prototype of an X-ray thermal KID (i.e., TKID) using a tungsten silicide resonator with superconducting tantalum absorber on a silicon nitride membrane. Finally, we outline improvements for future designs.     

The EDELWEISS-III Project and the Rejection Performance of Its Cryogenic Germanium Detectors

The EDELWEISS-III experiment searches for Dark matter using cryogenic germanium detectors in the low radioactivity environment of the Laboratoire Souterrain de Modane. The experiment and the FID detector design, whereby all surfaces are covered with interleaved electrodes, are described. The performance for gamma-ray and surface event rejection of these detectors is discussed. In particular, recent calibrations with a \(^{210}\) Pb source reveals that the excellent surface event rejection already demonstrated with planar interleaved electrodes also extends to the entire surface of the large FID detectors, even on their cylindrical outer surfaces, where the electric field has a more complicated geometry. Expected results with the full exposure of the EDELWEISS-III experiment are discussed.     

Bolometric Detectors for Measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background

Measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation provide the strongest support for the standard model of Inflationary Big Bang Cosmology. This paper sketches the impact of past and future CMB measurements on this rapidly developing field. Cryogenic millimeter wave bolometric detectors contribute strongly to this important experimental effort. The first such detectors were developed in the laboratory of Professor Michael Tinkham in the Berkeley Physics Department in the late 1950s. This development was first driven by the study of the superconducting energy gap, and other spectroscopy of other condensed matter systems. Later, it was driven very strongly, by the requirements for measurements of the CMB. This interaction between bolometer developments and the requirements of specific measurements is described. Until the past few years, the most useful bolometers had semiconductor thermistors and JFET readout amplifiers. The new superconducting voltage biased Transition Edge Sensor (TES) bolometers with SQUID readouts are beginning to have an impact and are expected to be the technology of choice in the future.     

Thermal Kinetic Inductance Detectors for Ground-Based Millimeter-Wave Cosmology

We show measurements of thermal kinetic inductance detectors (TKIDs) intended for millimeter-wave cosmology in the 200–300 GHz atmospheric window. The TKID is a type of bolometer which uses the kinetic inductance of a superconducting resonator to measure the temperature of the thermally isolated bolometer island. We measure bolometer thermal conductance, time constant, and noise equivalent power. We also measure the quality factor of our resonators as the bath temperature varies to show they are limited by effects consistent with coupling to two-level systems.     

Ultra Low Background Cryogenic Test Facility for Far-Infrared Radiation Detectors

The next generation of far infrared radiation detectors is aimed to reach photon noise limited performance in space based observatories such as SPICA and BLISS. These detectors operate at loading powers of the astronomical signal of a few Attowatt (10^?18 W) or less, corresponding to a sensitivity expressed in noise equivalent power as low as $\mathrm{NEP} = 2\times10^{-20}\ \mbox{W}/\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}$ . We have developed a cryogenic test setup for microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors (MKIDs) that aims to reach these ultra-low background levels. Stray light is stopped by using a box in a box design with a sample holder inside another closed box. Microwave signals for the MKID readout enters the outer box through custom made coax cable filters. The stray light loading per pixel is estimated to be less than 60×10^?18 W during nominal operation, a number limited by the intrinsic sensitivity of the MKIDs used to validate the system.     

Multi-Chroic Dual-Polarization Bolometric Detectors for Studies of the Cosmic Microwave Background

We are developing multi-chroic antenna-coupled Transition Edge Sensor (TES) bolometer detectors for Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) polarimetry. Multi-chroic detectors increase focal plane area efficiency, and thus the mapping speed per focal plane area, and provide greater discrimination against polarized galactic foregrounds with no increase in weight or cryogenic cost. In each pixel, a silicon lens-coupled dual-polarized sinuous antenna collects photons over a two-octave frequency band. The antenna couples the broadband millimeter wave signal into microstrip transmission lines, and on-chip filter banks split the broadband signal into multiple frequency bands. Separate TES bolometers detect the power in each frequency band and linear polarization state. We will describe the design and performance of these devices and present optical data taken. Our measurements of dual-polarization pixels in multiple frequency bands show beams with percent-level ellipticity, and percent-level cross-polarization leakage. We will also describe the development of large arrays of these multi-chroic pixels. Finally, we will describe kilo-pixel arrays of these detectors planned for the future CMB experiments that will achieve unprecedented mapping speed.     

Development of Thermal Kinetic Inductance Detectors Suitable for X-ray Spectroscopy

We report on the development of thermal kinetic inductance detectors (TKIDs) suitable to perform X-ray spectroscopy measurements. The aim is to implement MKIDs sensors working in thermal quasi-equilibrium mode to detect X-ray photons as pure calorimeters. The thermal mode is a variation on the MKID classical way of operation that has generated interest in recent years. TKIDs can offer the MKIDs inherent multiplexibility in the frequency domain, a high spatial resolution comparable with CCDs, and an energy resolution theoretically limited only by thermodynamic fluctuations across the thermal weak links. Microresonators are built in Ti/TiN multilayer technology with the inductive part thermally coupled with a metal absorber on a suspended SiN membrane, to avoid escape of phonons from the film to the substrate. The mid-term goal is to optimize the single-pixel design in terms of superconducting critical temperatures, internal quality factors, kinetic inductance and spectral energy resolution. The final goal is to realize a demonstrator array for a next generation thousand pixels X-ray spectrometer. In this contribution, the status of the project after one year of developments is reported, with detailed reference to the microresonators design and simulations and to the fabrication process.     

红外序列图像中热晕背景的消除

红外探测器工作时间长或太阳直射时,可观察到红外图像有热晕现象。红外探测器观察的 景物亮度或对比度通常很低,此时热晕对红外像质的影响比较严重。针对上述情况,研究用数字图像处理的方法——帧相减、反色相加,对红外图像进行实时背景补偿,以便消除热晕的影响。在此基础上用数学形态学去除图像中的噪声点,突出目标。理论和实验结果表明,对红外图像的热晕补偿改善了图像的质量。     

Surface Contamination by Radon Daughters Measured by Ionization-Heat NTD Germanium Detectors

The discrimination power of the NTD ionization-heat detectors to distinguish nuclear recoils from electron recoils is affected by events interpreted as surface events. On the basis of the data from EDELWEISS I and first data taking of EDELWEISS-2, we present a coherent interpretation and direct evidence that surface events occur and are due to radon daughter deposition on detector surface and close-by surfaces. The estimation of the surface activities of contaminated surface are extracted from the new data taking.      

荷电膜表面电性能对截留性能的影响

研究了流动电位和Zeta电位与无机盐溶液的浓度及测试压力的关系,以及随操作压力、无机盐溶液种类和浓度等因素的变化荷电膜对无机盐溶液截留性能的影响.结果表明,荷电膜由于离子吸附而带有负电荷,在低浓度溶液中荷电膜的表面电学性能对膜的截留性能有重要影响,而在高浓度溶液中荷电膜电性能的影响不大.     

Commercialization of Micro-fabrication of Antenna-Coupled Transition Edge Sensor Bolometer Detectors for Studies of the Cosmic Microwave Background

We report on the development of commercially fabricated multichroic antenna-coupled transition edge sensor (TES) bolometer arrays for cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarimetry experiments. CMB polarimetry experiments have deployed instruments in stages. Stage II experiments deployed with O(1000) detectors and reported successful detection of B-mode (divergence-free) polarization pattern in the CMB. Stage III experiments have recently started observing with O(10,000) detectors with wider frequency coverage. A concept for a stage IV experiment, CMB-S4, is emerging to make a definitive measurement of CMB polarization from the ground with O(400,000) detectors. The orders of magnitude increase in detector count for CMB-S4 require a new approach in detector fabrication to increase fabrication throughput and reduce the cost. We report on collaborative efforts with two commercial micro-fabrication foundries to fabricate antenna-coupled TES bolometer detectors. The detector design is based on the sinuous antenna-coupled dichroic detector from the POLARBEAR-2 experiment. The TES bolometers showed the expected I–V response, and the RF performance agrees with the simulation. We will discuss the motivation, design consideration, fabrication processes, test results, and how industrial detector fabrication could be a path to fabricate hundreds of detector wafers for future CMB polarimetry experiments.     

CO在SrO表面吸附的热脱附

在真空条件下,利用程序升温热脱附方法测量CO吸附在SrO表面的脱附谱.实验结果表明,SrO吸附C^18O后,在升温过程中可通过氧的同位素交换生成C^16O而脱附,同时伴随少量C^18O的直接脱附,其波峰温度分别为430 K和420 K,属于二级脱附过程.     

表面纳米化后表层纳米结构的热稳定性研究现状

综述了材料经过表面纳米化处理后其表层纳米结构热稳定性的国内外研究现状.包括研究表层纳米结构热稳定性的一些常用的方法、影响表层纳米结构的热稳定性的主要因素(主要是影响晶粒长大的因素)及机理.     

Thermal Migration of Melted Zones over the Silicon Surface under Thermal Shock

Technical Physics Letters - In this paper, we examine the issues of the formation and propagation of melted zones during electric explosion of thin aluminum films on the oxidized silicon surface. A...     

A New Technique for the Identification of Surface Background: The Surface Sensitive Bolometers

The main problem for experiments using the bolometric technique to search for rare events is the contribution of surface contamination to the background. In this paper a new technique for the identification of the origin of events will be described. The idea is to shield the main bolometer with bolometric shields. Tests on small and large prototypes and the promising results will be reported.