Current developmental status of thermoelectric (QVD) detectors

Practical implementation of thermoelectric (QVD) detectors requires cryogenic thermoelectric sensors with a high figure of merit. For this requirement there can be different solutions: thin films, bulk materials and whiskers. Initial prototype QVD devices used Au–Fe thin film sensors. Another class of materials, lanthanum (cerium) hexaborides La(Ce)B6 , has higher Seebeck coefficient at cryogenic temperatures, and therefore one can expect higher figures of merit for devices based on these materials. To utilize La(Ce)B6 crystals with different La–Ce content as sensor elements we investigated their kinetic properties. Then we explored prototype devices based on bulk single-crystalline sensors. Subsequently, we manufactured and successfully tested a candidate single-photon detector device with a sharp-end hexaboride sensor and small bismuth absorber. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]