Electron and phonon effects in superconducting tunnel detectors of x-radiation
Abstract
Nb/Al/AlOx/Nb superconducting tunnel junctions were investigated in the role of x-ray detectors. Amplitude spectra of pulses arising upon irradiation of tunnel junctions of different sizes by 55Mn x-radiation were recorded at a temperature T=1.4 K. We also analyzed the temporal shape of the pulses. We considered the influence of diffuse motion of nonequilibrium quasiparticles, the inverse tunneling effect, and exchange of 2Δ phonons between electrodes, on the characteristics of the tunnel detectors. It is shown that phonon processes can bring about changes in the amplitude, duration, and polarity of the signal.
- Publication:
-
Physics of the Solid State
- Pub Date:
- July 1999
- DOI:
- 10.1134/1.1130937
- Bibcode:
- 1999PhSS...41.1063A
- Keywords:
-
- Spectroscopy;
- State Physics;
- Amplitude Spectrum;
- Tunnel Junction;
- Tunneling Effect