Veihmeyer, C. | Search NASA

DOE OSTI2024

Modeling and Characterization of TES-Based Detectors for the Ricochet Experiment

Coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CE nu NS) offers a valuable approach in searching for physics beyond the standard model. The Ricochet experiment aims to perform a precision measurement of the CE nu NS spectrum at the Institut Laue-Langevin nuclear reactor with cryogenic solid-state detectors. The experiment plans to employ an array of cryogenic thermal detectors, each with a mass of around 30 g and an energy threshold of below 100 eV. The array includes nine detectors read out by transition-edge sensors (TES). These TES-based detectors will also serve as demonstrators for future neutrino experiments with thousands of detectors. In this article, we present an update on the characterization and modeling of a prototype TES detector.

Chang, C. L.↗

DOE OSTI2024

Properties of Low Tc AlMn TES

Low Tc AlMn transition-edge sensors (TESs) have been developed as sensitive thermometers for the Q-Array, which will use superconducting targets to measure the coherent elastic neutrino nucleus scattering spectrum in the RICOCHET experiment. The TESs are made of manganese-doped aluminum with a titanium and gold antioxidation layer. A prototype TES thermometer consists of two TESs in parallel, an input gold pad in metallic contact with the TESs and an output gold pad and gold thermal link meanders, which are each designed to control the flow of heat through the TESs. We have fabricated and measured low TC AlMn TES chips with or without thermal flow control structures. We present TC measurements of the TESs after the initial fabrication and further TC tuning by re-heating and summarize the thermal property studies of the prototype TES thermometer by measuring I-V curves and complex impedance.

Coherent elastic neutrino nucleus scattering, Cryo↗