Superconducting tunnel junction array development for high-resolution energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy

Cryogenic energy-dispersive x-ray detectors are being developed because of their superior energy resolution ((less than or equal to) 10 eV FWHM for keV x rays) compared to semiconductor EDS systems. So far, their range of application is limited due to their comparably small size and low count rate. We present data on the development of superconducting tunnel junction (STJ) detector arrays to address both of these issues. A single STJ detector has a resolution around 10 eV below 1 keV and can be operated at count rates of order 10,000 counts/s. We show that the simultaneous operation of several STJ detectors does not diminish their energy resolution significantly, while increasing the detector area and the maximum count rate by a factor given by the total number of independent channels.