Patent ID: 6211519
Filing Date: 2001-04-03
Classification: G01K,H01L

Abstract:
A superconducting sensor for measuring an energy pulse of an elementary particle, said superconducting sensor having an operating-temperature range, a superconducting transition, and an intrinsic recovery time associated with said energy pulse, said operating-temperature range corresponding to said superconducting transition, said superconducting sensor comprising:electrothermal-feedback means for maintaining said operating-temperature range by utilizing a voltage bias that produces a variable electrical current through said electrothermal-feedback means;a heat sink thermally coupled to said electrothermal-feedback means and held at a temperature below said operating-temperature range;bias-feedback means, electrically coupled with said electrothermal-feedback means, for providing said superconducting sensor with an enhanced recovery time associated with said energy pulse, said enhanced recovery time being substantially shorter than said intrinsic recovery time; andcurrent-sensing means, electrically coupled with said bias-feedback means, for measuring changes in said variable electrical current caused by said energy pulse and for sending a signal corresponding to said changes to said bias-feedback means.