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Fabrication of Bismuth Absorber Arrays for NTD-Ge Hard X-ray Microcalorimeters

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Abstract

The high-spectral-resolution detection of hard X-rays (E > 20 keV) is a challenging and nearly unexplored area in space astrophysics. Traditionally hard X-ray detectors present moderate spectral resolutions, although few tens of eV one could open new frontiers in the study of nuclear processes and high-temperature plasma dynamics in energetic processes. This can be achieved by using cryogenic microcalorimeters. Within a research activity aimed at developing arrays of neutron transmutation-doped germanium (NTD-Ge) microcalorimeters for the high-spectral-resolution detection (about 50 eV@60 keV) of hard X-rays (20 keV < E<100 keV), we developed an electroplating process to fabricate high-thickness (> 60 μm) bismuth absorber arrays. The adopted technological process and the study of related process parameters are discussed; preliminary results on produced arrays are given.

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Acknowledgments

This research has been supported by Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF) and Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), in the framework of the MISTER-X balloon-borne experiment preliminary activities. The authors thank prof. Giuseppe Lullo of Dipartimento di Ingegneria—Università di Palermo—for relevant support in patterning the microlithographic mask.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica - Emilio Segrè, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Via Archirafi 36, 90123, Palermo, Italy

    S. Ferruggia Bonura, M. Barbera & U. Lo Cicero

  2. Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo, Piazza del Parlamento 1, 90134, Palermo, Italy

    S. Ferruggia Bonura, D. Gulli, M. Barbera, A. Collura, D. Spoto, S. Varisco & U. Lo Cicero

  3. Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI) – Via del Politecnico, 00133, Rome, Italy

    D. Spoto

  4. Università degli Studi di Palermo, Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Viale delle Scienze, 90128, Palermo, Italy

    P. Vassallo, M. Santamaria, F. Di Franco, A. Zaffora & L. Botta

Authors
  1. S. Ferruggia Bonura
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  2. D. Gulli
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  3. M. Barbera
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  4. A. Collura
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  5. D. Spoto
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  6. P. Vassallo
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  7. S. Varisco
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  8. M. Santamaria
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  9. F. Di Franco
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  10. A. Zaffora
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  11. L. Botta
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  12. U. Lo Cicero
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Correspondence to S. Ferruggia Bonura.

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Ferruggia Bonura, S., Gulli, D., Barbera, M. et al. Fabrication of Bismuth Absorber Arrays for NTD-Ge Hard X-ray Microcalorimeters. J Low Temp Phys 200, 336–341 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10909-020-02475-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10909-020-02475-6

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