This volume gives the state-of-the-art on superconducting tunnel junctions as X-ray detectors for low energy radioastronomy. Contributions from major experts of the main laboratories in the world are included. They cover many aspects of the subject, from nonequilibrium phenomena in STJ to the detector design optimization, and report the most recent experimental results in the field.

Superconductors today constitute a major focus of activity in the development of high resolution detectors for many applications. This volume collects the papers of an international workshop on the basic theoretical and experimental issues involved in the interaction between particles and superconductors. It emphasizes the involved condensed matter aspects of non-equilibrium time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equations, metastable superconductivity, quasiparticle and phonon lifetimes, and quasiparticle trapping, as well as low-noise pulse electronics, detector fabrication and low background cryogenics.

An exploration of electric refractory materials, this book covers developments of blue light-emitting diodes using GaN-based nitrides for laser and high-temperature and -frequency devices. Electric Refractory Materials introduces growth and evaluation standards of films and bulk crystals, with consideration of band structure, surface electronic structure, and lattice vibrations. It also covers heat capacity and thermal conductivity, irradiation properties, and selective surfaces. Focusing on diamond material, the book examines its synthesis and characterization as well as its electrical, optical, and conductive properties. The book also discusses the use of silicon carbide, boron compounds, and other material used in electronic and light-emitting devices.

Since the discovery of high-temperature superconductivity considerable progress has been made in research and development of superconductive electronic devices. This fact is reflected by the large variety of contributions to the 4th International Conference on Superconducting and Quantum Effect Devices and their Applications - SQUID'91. This comprehensive proceedings volume covers Josephson junctions, SQUIDs, radiation detectors, flux-flow transitors.. The main applications are contained in the chapters on biomagnetic instrumentation, metrologym and rf-applications. The purpose of this volume is to provide an up-to-date reference book on thestatus of this rapidly changing and promising field of electronic device research on the basis of low- and high-temperature materials.

SNED Proceedings (Naples, Italy, May 28-June 1, 2001)