Low temperature NbSi thin film thermometers on Silicon Nitride membranes for bolometer applications

• Published in: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment Vol. 444; no. 1; pp. 419 - 422
• Main Authors: Camus, Ph, Bergé, L, Dumoulin, L, Marnieros, S, Torre, J.P
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 2000; Elsevier
• ISSN: 0168-9002; 1872-9576
• DOI: 10.1016/S0168-9002(99)01414-X

We report the design of amorphous NbSi thin film bolometer thermometers on Silicon Nitride membranes. Due to the low-thermal conductivity of Si 3N 4, this material has several applications in millimeter wavelength bolometers and microcalorimetry. Compared to NTD-Ge thermometers, similar sensitivities are obtained with a 50 times lesser volume. The smallest realized films have a rectangular surface (100×400 μm 2) and are 100 nm thick. Optimization of the thermometer shape, NbSi composition and electrical material contact is discussed. The goal of this development is to manufacture a complete array of bolometers by photolithography techniques.