Feasibility investigation of NbN nanowires as detector in time-of-flight mass spectrometers for macromolecules of interest in biology (proteins)

Perez de Lara, D., Ejrnaes, M., Casaburi, A. , Lisitskiy, M., Cristiano, R., Pagano, S., Gaggero, A., Leoni, R., Golt’sman, G. and Voronov, B. (2008) Feasibility investigation of NbN nanowires as detector in time-of-flight mass spectrometers for macromolecules of interest in biology (proteins). Journal of Low Temperature Physics, 151(3-4), pp. 771-776. (doi: 10.1007/s10909-008-9745-2)

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Abstract

We are investigating the possibility of using NbN nanowires as detectors in time-of-flight mass spectrometers for investigation of macromolecules of interest in biology (proteins). NbN nanowires could overcome the two major drawbacks encountered so far by cryogenic detectors, namely the low working temperature in the mK region and the slow temporal response. In fact, NbN nanowires can work at 5 K and the response time is at least a factor 10–100 better than that of other cryogenic detectors. We present a feasibility study based on a numerical code to calculate the response of a NbN nanowire. The parameter space is investigated at different energies from IR to macromolecules (i.e. from eV to keV) in order to understand if larger value of film thickness and width can be used for the keV energy region. We also present preliminary experimental results of irradiation with X-ray photons of NbN to simulate the effect of macromolecules of the same energy.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Casaburi, Dr Alessandro
Authors: Perez de Lara, D., Ejrnaes, M., Casaburi, A., Lisitskiy, M., Cristiano, R., Pagano, S., Gaggero, A., Leoni, R., Golt’sman, G., and Voronov, B.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Electronics and Nanoscale Engineering
Journal Name:Journal of Low Temperature Physics
ISSN:0022-2291
ISSN (Online):1573-7357
Published Online:15 January 2008

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