DETECTION OF SINGLE INFRARED, OPTICAL, AND ULTRAVIOLET PHOTONS USING SUPERCONDUCTING TRANSITION EDGE SENSORS

We have demonstrated the use of superconducting transition edge sensor s for the wide-band detection of individual photons from the mid infra red (IR), through the optical. and into the far ultraviolet (UV). Thes e tungsten transition edge sensors are squares about 18 mu m on a side and detect single photon events above a threshold of 0.3 eV (4 mu m w avelength), with an energy resolution of 0.15 eV full width at half ma ximum. and with a risetime (falltime) of .5 mu s (60 mu s). The calibr ation data extend up to the UV cutoff of the fiber optic feed at 3.5 e V (350 nm). (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.