Low-Cost Microcalorimeter Spectrometer for X-Ray Macroanalysis

A low-cost superconducting transition edge sensor (TES) microcalorimeter spectrometer is described for high energy and high spatial resolution X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy and microanalysis. The proposed microcalorimeter instrument offers an energy resolution that is comparable to and potentially even better than wavelength dispersive spectrometers, thereby enabling the resolution of interfering peaks at low energies, while the energy dispersive nature of the microcalorimeter also means that the full X-ray spectrum is immediately available for qualitative and quantitative analysis. The TES microcalorimeter spectrometer will address and meet a critical need for new, cost-effective analytical tools for high resolution X-ray microanalysis in materials research. COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: The primary commercial application for the proposed low-cost microcalorimeter spectrometer is high resolution X-ray microanalysis for qualitative and quantitative defect analysis in semiconductor device fabrication and materials research at university and government research laboratories.