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50mK cooler for XMS

XMS will consist of a 50 mK cryogen free system cooling an array of transition edge sensors (TES) and associated electronics.

20 November 2011

The cooling technology being developed by the group is a possible contender for the cooling to 50 mK of the detectors to be used in the X-ray microcalorimeter spectrometer (XMS) instrument proposed for the ATHENA (Advanced Telescope for High ENergy Astrophysics) mission.

ATHENA has had a long history initially starting as two missions XEUS (ESA) and Con-X (NASA) being merge to form the IXO (International X-ray Observatory). The ATHENA mission is currently under study by ESA as part of the cosmic visions programme. 

The XMS is one of two instruments proposed for the mission. XMS will consist of a 50 mK cryogen free system cooling an array of transition edge sensors (TES) and associated electronics.

The 50 mK ESA ADR constructed by the group was a technology demonstrator for the missions previous incarnation- XEUS.