Hexaborides of rare earths as a sensor material for thermoelectric single-photon detectors

We consider the prospects of crystals of cerium hexaboride CeB 6 and lanthanum-cerium hexaborides (La,Ce)B 6 as a sensitive element in the so-called QVD thermoelectric single-photon detectors, operating at cryogenic temperatures. We have collected and analyzed the values of thermoelectric parameters of CeB 6 and (La,Ce)B 6 available in the literature. On this basis we calculated the energy resolution and photon count rate of the future thermoelectric QVD detectors. We conclude that the detectors on CeB 6 can register a single X-ray photon, and detectors on (La,Ce)B 6 — a single UV photon.