A Novel Superconducting Detector Based on Fluxoid Quantization

Abstract

Future astrophysics missions will require ever more capable detectors demanding new concepts beyond simple improvements to existing technology. We describe the development of a novel detector whose operation relies on the superconducting phenomenon known as fluxoid quantization. The device is appropriately named the fluxoid quantization detector (FQD) and has several significant advantages over existing superconducting detectors. Most importantly the device can be modulated, allowing for lock-in detection. Equally exciting is the device’s impressive responsivity. The responsivity is estimated to be two orders of magnitude higher than that of state of the art transition edge sensors (TESs). All foreseeable space missions must use detectors that are scalable into large format arrays. In addition, the detectors must be fabricated using reproducible, proven methods. The proposed device technology meets these demands due to its natural compatibility with existing multiplexing and processing techniques. The main applications will be instrumentation for studies of the cosmic microwave back-ground, X-ray calorimetry, far-infrared astrophysics and dark matter detection.