Superconductors are often used in radiation sensors called bolometers. These sensors work at a very low temperature and are very sensitive tools to study extremely weak radiations, such as the fossil radiation of the Universe at 3 K, for instance. Bolometers are used in many astrophysics and astroparticle physics experiments. Among the experiments that use thermometers made of superconductors, there are experiments that are conducted in order to try and find dark matter (CDMS) and CRESST.
The sensitivity of these sensors is so powerful that today, they are strongly developing and many projects will use them soon. For instance, we are thinking about equipping satellites with bolometers in order to detect the universe radiation and to measure the cosmic microwave background radiation by BSD. These superconducting bolometers could also be used to detect planets outside our solar system by XO telescopes.
Bolometers (the superconducting thermometer is in the centre of the squares)
