Development of a microcalorimeter with transition edge sensor for detection of LX rays emitted by transuranium elements

Nakamura, Keisuke ; Maeda, Makoto*; Yasumune, Takashi*; Maehata, Keisuke*; Ishibashi, Kenji*; Tanaka, Keiichi*; Umeno, Takahiro*; Takasaki, Koji ; Momose, Takumaro 

A Transition Edge Sensor (TES) microcalorimeter has been developed for use as an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer. A TES microcalorimeter is a thermal detector used to measure the energy of an incident photon with increase in temperature. In this work, a TES microcalorimeter with a 5m Au absorber was developed for use in measuring LX rays emitted from transuranium elements. Furthermore, as a cooling system a dilution refrigerator utilizing a Gifford-McMahon refrigerator was used, which needs no liquid helium. The performance of the TES microcalorimeter was evaluated by measuring the LX rays emitted by an Am source. This system proved effective in the measurement of the LX rays because the full width at half maximum of the LX ray was about 80 eV.