We present the results of the analysis of the possibility of detecting single photons of the extreme ultraviolet range using a multilayer thermoelectric sensor with an operating temperature of 4.2 K. The sensor with a surface area of 1 or 100 μm2 consists of an absorber (W), a heat sink (Mo) and a dielectric substrate (Al2O3) with thicknesses of 40, 10 and 100 nm, respectively. The thickness of the thermoelectric layer (CeB6) was 5 and 10 nm. The equivalent noise power of the sensor is determined. To calculate the efficiency of detecting photons with energies of 22.5, 38, 39 and 44.7 eV, the processes of heat propagation in the considered sensor after absorption of photons in the center of the absorber surface are studied by computer simulation and the signal power is determined. Using the obtained results, the efficiency of the thermoelectric sensor of the proposed designs at an operating temperature of 4.2 K is assessed.
Kuzanyan et al. (Mon,) studied this question.