Superconducting Tunnel Junctions as Nuclear Particle Detectors

摘要: In reviewing the large variety of possibilities offered by superconductivity in small scale applications, it is often neglected important role which can be played superconducting tunnel junctions as radiation detectors physics and astrophysics. The growing interest such devices this context lies perspective outstanding performances, partially already demonstrated, high energy spectrometry, fast discrimination, spatial resolution. article we shall confine our attention to first topic. As far drawbacks cryogenic requirements are concerned, should point out that conventional semiconductor junction require liquid nitrogen not only during operation but also for storage since those thermally cyclable. other hand helium cryostat technology dramatically improving and, if confined a temperature order few degrees (1–4 K), cryocoolers extremely compact within today provide necessary environment space based equipment.