Demonstration of a cryogenic, switchable electron source for low-temperature detector calibration
Abstract We present the realization of a prototype of a compact, switchable electron source operating at cryogenic temperatures, demonstrated at energies ranging from 100 eV to 300 eV, and conceptually extendable to an arbitrary energy range. The electrons are produced via photoelectric emission, induced by a LED illuminating two 400-nm-thick commercial aluminum layers inside a cryostat, and are subsequently accelerated by a voltage of up to 300 V. Detection is carried out with an array of transition-edge sensor (TES) microcalorimeters designed for X-ray detectors, where we successfully observe signals consistent with electrons produced at the source at rates of $$\gtrsim$$ ≳ 1 Hz and with an efficiency of $$\gtrsim 10^{-14}\ e^-/\gamma$$ ≳ 10 - 14 e - / γ .
Authors
- S. Gamba (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3616-7942)
- M. De Gerone (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5489-6581)
- M. Faverzani (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8119-2953)
- Rodolfo Carobene (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0579-3017)
- Luca Origo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6342-1430)
- D. R. Schmidt (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5764-0194)
- L. Ferrari Barusso (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9740-7346)
- Danilo Labranca (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5351-0034)
- A Giachero (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0493-695X)
- Joel N. Ullom (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2486-4025)
- Angelo Nucciotti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8458-1556)
- John A. B. Mates (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5955-8103)
- Marco Gobbo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5543-9190)
- P Campana (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8233-1951)
- D.A. Bennett (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3011-3690)
- D.S. Swetz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8192-2175)
- E Ferri (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1425-3669)
- A. Cattaneo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-4569-1474)
- R. Moretti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5201-5920)
- M. Borghesi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5854-8894)
Institutions
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (US)
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (IT)
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Genova (IT)
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Milano Bicocca (IT)
- University of Milano-Bicocca (IT)
- University of Genoa (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- The European Physical Journal Plus
- Published
- 2026-10-14
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-026-08330-z
- Primary Topic
- Superconducting and THz Device Technology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Università degli Studi di Milano
- European Commission
- Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare
- National Institute of Standards and Technology
- FP7 Ideas: European Research Council
- NextGenerationEU