Superconducting detectors

The most sensitive far infrared and submillimetre instruments use superconducting detectors operating at temperatures of only a fraction of a degree above absolute zero.

Large format, ultra-sensitive arrays and compact on-chip spectrometers using superconducting Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KIDS) are being developed for ground-based and spaceborne instruments. These detectors have also been adapted for millimetre-wave video imaging, including the invention of a new camera for security applications.