Cryogenic microcalorimeter energy resolution measurements for multi-keV atoms and molecules

We have experimentally investigated the kinetic energy resolution of an ∝ 10 mK magnetic microcalorimeter (MMC) detector for 12-150 keV atomic and molecular ion beams. The ion masses were varied from 1 amu (H⁺) to 58 amu (C₃H₆O⁺). The resulting FWHM energy resolutions were <or similar 0.5 keV for atomic ions and <or similar 1 keV for molecular ions. The measured energy resolutions were similar for the neutral particles of the corresponding ions. The high resolving power in energy, the charge independence, and the optional position sensitivity all demonstrate the expected versatility of the MMC detectors for use in various mass spectrometry techniques. As a next step we implement the MMC detector for mass and position resolved fragment counting in the Cryogenic Storage Ring (CSR) at the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg. The storage energies of ∝ 300 keV will allow 1 amu mass resolution for stored ions of up to ∝ 150 amu (assuming a separation of 2 FWHMs between peaks).