Fabrication of Metallic Magnetic Calorimeter X-ray Detector Arrays

Microcalorimeters with metallic magnetic sensors show great promise for use in astronomical X-ray spectroscopy. We describe the design and fabrication of a lithographically patterned magnetic microcalorimeter. A paramagnetic AuEr film is sputter-deposited as the sensor, which is coupled to a low noise SQUID via a meander superconducting pickup loop used as an inductor. This inductor also provides the magnetic field bias to the sensor. The AuEr film is deposited over this meander such that the field created by a large current flowing in the loop magnetizes the sensor material. The use of thin film techniques in the fabrication of these magnetic sensors not only allows strong magnetic coupling between the sensor and the inductor, it also is scalable for array fabrication.