On the Possibility of the Creation of Radically New Type Detectors of Particles and Radiation Based on High-Tc Superconductors

Abstract

Some aspects of high-T c superconductors (HTSC) electrophysical properties, which could be successfully applied to the detection of particles and radiation are discussed. The possibilities and the perspectives of the creation of completely new type detectors of elementary particles and ionizing radiation, based on HTSC materials, are considered. At this, the use of the unusual open-flat measuring (pick-up) coils made of, in particular, the HTSC materials, as a detecting element in known tunnel diode oscillator technique it seems of considerable promise and may find also a number of other applications in different areas of science and technology. The results of the HTSC thin-film structures real use for the detection of the visible and infrared spectrum radiations as well as constant magnetic fields and also direct currents passing through the HTSC film structures are presented. Three designs of these detectors are proposed suitable for various applications. The achieved up-to-date sensitivity is about 10-11 Wt/cm2/Hz-1/2 for the 0.63 μm and 0.8 μm wavelength radiations, about 0.1 mOe/cm2/Hz-1/2 for the constant magnetic fields and about 0.1 μA/cm2/Hz-1/2 for the direct currents passing through the HTSC thin-film structures. Capabilities of new detectors are evaluated and possible directions of further essential improvement of their parameters are also suggested.