Development of a compact system for high-resolution X-ray detection using a SQUID amplifier

A compact system for an STJ-based high resolution X-ray detection system using a SQUID amplifier has been developed. A noise level of less than 4.8 mV at the SQUID output pulse height of 1.2 V for Nb-based STJ signals was achieved in the temperature range of 1.7-4.2 K with good reproducibility under an external magnetic field of about 0.01 Tesla, which was applied to suppress the Josephson current of the STJ. The results show the possibility of constructing a compact STJ-based X-ray detection system with an 'on-site' low noise SQUID preamplifier.