Publication Date

2008-12-22

Availability

Open access

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PHD)

Department

Physics (Arts and Sciences)

Date of Defense

2008-11-17

First Committee Member

Fulin Zuo - Committee Member

Second Committee Member

maria ribeiro gomes - Committee Member

Third Committee Member

Joshua Cohn - Committee Member

Fourth Committee Member

massimiliano galeazzi - Mentor

Abstract

Transition edge sensors are the detectors of choice for a wide range of applications; from dark matter search, neutrino search, to cosmic radiation detection from near infrared to millimeter wavelengths. We are developing transition edge sensors using superconducting iridium thin films and we are proposing their use for future dark matter and neutrino search experiments. Our Ir films are deposited using an radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering and photolithographic techniques and measured using an adiabatic refrigerator capable of reaching temperatures of a few tens of mK. This thesis presents a detailed description of superconducting iridium thin films from the fabrication process to the characterization of the film properties at room temperature and low temperature. Alternative options for the bias circuit used to read out the TES signals will be discussed, we are proposing the use of RLC resonant circuits and transformers instead of SQUIDS.

Keywords

Iridium; Low Temperature Superconductor; Transition Edge Sensors

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