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New Fullerene-Based Resistor Technology for Use in Low Noise Instrumentation--Cremat, 45 Union Street, Watertown, MA 02172-2523; 617-926-0661
Mr. Fred Olschner, Principal Investigator
Mr. Fred Olschner, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-99ER82771
Amount: $100,000
Feedback resistors are critical components of the low noise preamplifiers used in almost every nuclear physics experiment. Unfortunately, no commercial resistor manufacturer has addressed the stringent low noise requirements of these feedback resistors. As a result, producers of low noise instrumentation for nuclear physics must utilize resistors that are unnecessarily noisy. This project will develop resistor technology based on newly developed fullerene films, which may offer improved noise performance over currently available resistive materials. In addition, these resistors will be produced using packaging materials and in sizes that will further assist in minimizing electronic noise. Phase I will seek to demonstrate the low noise properties of the proposed fullerene-based resistors by fabricating sample resistors and testing their low noise properties. The noise contribution will be assessed as a function of film resistivity, dimensions, and substrate material to determine their relative importance in producing resistors possessing a minimum of electronic noise.
Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The proposed low noise resistors should find use in all charge sensitive preamplifiers which use discrete components. Charge sensitive preamplifiers are extensively utilized in instrumentation used in Nuclear Physics, High Energy Physics, Nuclear Verification, Medical Physics, and other fields where nuclear detectors are used. In addition, this resistor technology also should find use in other types of low noise circuitry, such as in photodiode preamplifiers used in the detection of weak optical signals.