OPTIMIZATION OF SI-IMPLANTED THERMISTORS FOR HIGH-RESOLUTION CALORIMETERS TO BE USED IN A NEUTRINO MASS EXPERIMENT

A procedure of optimization of Si-implanted thermistors was started, w ith the final aim to develop bolometers with a resolution of a few eV in the keV range. The initial approach was to assume that a thermal de coupling between phonons and hopping electrons establishes inside the thermistors, with consequent reduction of the sensitivity and incomple te transfer of the particle generated phonons to the conduction electr ons. This assumption however failed in explaining the collected experi mental data, which can be described much more satisfactorily introduci ng an electric field dependance of the thermistor resistance. This alt ernative interpretation modifies the parameter choice for an optimum d evice