Test of superconducting Nb/Al bilayers as particle detectors

Superconducting thin film particle detectors can be very attractive due to the low sensitivity to radiation damage. We describe the fabrication procedure and the characterization of Nb/Al bilayers as particle detectors. First steady and dynamical results are reported from tests of 5 MeV alpha-particle detection. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.