Fabrication of Low-Noise TES Arrays for the SAFARI Instrument on SPICA

Journal article (2016)

Authors

Marcel L. Ridder SRON–Netherlands Institute for Space Research
Pourya Khosropanah SRON–Netherlands Institute for Space Research
R. A. Hijmering SRON–Netherlands Institute for Space Research
T. Suzuki Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, SRON–Netherlands Institute for Space Research
M. P. Bruijn SRON–Netherlands Institute for Space Research
H. F C Hoevers SRON–Netherlands Institute for Space Research
J.R. Gao QN/Gao Lab , SRON–Netherlands Institute for Space Research, Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft
M.R. Zuiddam QN/Kavli Nanolab Delft - AS , Kavli institute of nanoscience Delft
Research Group
QN/Gao Lab
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Published Date

01-07-2016

Language

English

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Research Group

QN/Gao Lab

Abstract

Ultra-low-noise transition edge sensors (TES) with noise equivalent power lower than 2 × 10- 19 W/Hz1 / 2 have been fabricated by SRON, which meet the sensitivity requirements for the far-infrared SAFARI instrument on space infrared telescope for cosmology and astrophysics. Our TES detector is based on a titanium/gold (Ti/Au) thermistor on a silicon nitride (SiN) island. The island is thermally linked with SiN legs to a silicon support structure at the bath temperature. The SiN legs are very thin (250 nm), narrow (500 nm), and long (above 300 μ m); these dimensions are needed in leg-isolated bolometers to achieve the required level of sensitivity. In this paper, we describe the latest fabrication process for our TES bolometers with improved sensitivity.