A fully lithographed voltage-biased superconducting spiderweb bolometer

We describe the fabrication and characterization of superconducting transition-edge bolometers for astrophysical applications at far-infrared and mm wavelengths. The sensor is voltage biased and the current is measured with a superconducting quantum interference ammeter. Strong negative electrothermal feedback keeps the sensor temperature nearly constant, reduces the response time significantly, and improves linearity. It also makes the responsivity relatively insensitive to changes in optical background loading and refrigerator temperature. The bolometers are made using standard microlithographic techniques suitable for fabrication of large scale arrays. Detailed measurements of optical response are presented for a range of bias conditions and are compared with theory. Measured noise spectra are shown and a model for the noise is presented. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(99)04206-0].