The SUPERTED project was successful in providing the first demonstration of biasless detection of electromagnetic radiation utilising the thermoelectric effect in superconductor/ferromagnet hybrid structures. In particular, we established detector sites, one devoted to sub-THz radiation and another one for X-ray radiation, with capability of operating such detectors. We also made an experimental proof of concept of an actual radiation detector in the THz domain, therefore reaching a technology readiness level of 3. In addition, we have identified the steps required to realise optimal detectors in both regimes of electromagnetic radiation. These results have required testing a large number (more than 500) samples in four different sites, and a close collaboration between theory and experimental groups to understand the main parameters affecting detector performance. Besides the main goal of thermoelectric radiation detectors, our project realised a European facility to grow superconductor/ferromagnetic insulator hybrid structures with desired properties. Such systems can be used in various purposes, many of them established within the theory efforts as part of the project. As a new and unanticipated finding, we noticed that the hybrid structures studied in the project also act as quasiparticle tunnel diodes, and hence could be used in also other tasks than detectors, such as current delimiters or rectifiers. Our consortium has protected the IPR for both innovations, the detector and the diode, via patenting. We found out that to operate the detectors, a small external magnetic field is needed as the ferromagnetic insulator used in the project, EuS, needs to be magnetised after refrigerating the detectors to the operating temperature. Fortunately the magnetic field required for magnetising the samples is much smaller than would be needed for spin splitting in the absence of magnetism, and we realised the detector setups with Helmholz coils providing the needed fields. Interestingly, such coils in detector setups also allow tuning the detectors in situ to various operating regimes. What is more, the read-out techniques realised in the project are amenable to multiplexing and we have outlined two different strategies of detector multiplexing in large detector arrays. We have already disseminated many of the results in scientific papers, press releases, and conference presentations, and our dissemination efforts continue beyond the project. Besides the two patented innovations which we will advance via a start-up company of one of our partners, the multilayer growth expertise in our consortium has raised interest within another company, and we have started a collaboration to exploit it.
The project has resulted so far into 88 scientific papers, 18 of them in journals with an impact factor larger than 7. In addition, we have told about SUPERTED in various events and press releases.
