Gamma-ray superconducting detector based on Abrikosov vortices: Principle of operation

The high atomic number of some superconducting elements such as niobium (Z=41) and tantalum (Z=73) and a high material thickness (e.g., t=300 μm) are emphasized as essential properties for development of a gamma-ray solid state detector with high intrinsic detection efficiency in the energy range up to 100 keV. To exploit these properties, a new detection principle based on the interaction of a single gamma-ray photon with Abrikosov vortex is proposed. The interaction of gamma-ray photon with a superconductor is discussed in terms of the photoelectric absorption and a hot-spot formation, the last acts as a short-time pinning center on an Abrikosov vortex and activates its motion, namely, a jump or damped vibration. Both types of vortex motion lead to variation (either static or dynamic) in the magnetic field on the absorber surface. The high sensitivity of the Josephson tunneling to weak magnetic field can be exploited for revealing the magnetic field variation and to make the readout of the detector. Main intrinsic properties of a gamma-ray detector based on Abrikosov vortices are evaluated, including the possibility to measure the energy deposited in the detector. A single Josephson tunnel junction configuration or a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) configuration is proposed and discussed as possible realization of working gamma-ray detector both in the counter operation mode and in the radiation spectroscopy operation mode.