Development of an Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerator for X-ray Microcalorimeter Operations

Abstract

Abstract.An X-ray microcalorimeter is a non-dispersive spectrometer that measures the energy of an incident X-ray photon as a temperature rise. Operated at < 0.1 K, it achieves very high resolving power. We are developing X-ray microcalorimeters for future γ-ray burst observations, and are now setting up a compact adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR) for X-ray microcalorimeter operations. We fabricated a paramagnetic salt pill, and integrated it with a superconducting magnet and a heat-switch in a dedicated He cryostat. By applying a magnetic field of 2.6 T at the bath temperature of 1.8 K, it achieved 0.1 K. The attainable temperature and the hold time were, however, limited due to unexpected heat load. We also successfully measured a resistance-temperature characteristics of a superconducting transition edge.