Development of ultra-fast superconducting nano-strip particle detector with charge discrimination

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24619013
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: オミクス計測科学
• Research Institution: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: ZEN Nobuyuki 独立行政法人産業技術総合研究所, 計測フロンティア研究部門, 主任研究員 (20455439)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 超伝導 / 検出器 / 超伝導ストリップ / 粒子検出 / 質量分析

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Mass spectrometry enables the measurement of mass of biomolecules. However, the measurable mass range is limited by the detector. On the other hand, the superconducting detectors have the detection efficiencies independent on mass of molecules. Among them, the superconducting strip particle detectors (SSPDs) realize the detection area as large as the diameter of a molecular beam and the response time as fast as nano seconds at the same time. In this study, the SSPD with the 100% detection efficiency along with 2 mm-square size and ns-response time has been realized for the first time. Consequently, by adjusting the applying bias current, it becomes possible to discriminate the charge of ionized molecules. The SSPDs are expected to be powerful detectors for the mass spectrometry of mixtures or other analytical instruments such as an atom probe.

Free Research Field

超伝導検出器