Model of the response function of large mass bolometric detectors

Large mass bolometers are used in particle physics experiments to search for rare processes. By operating at low temperature, they are able to detect particle energies from few keV up to several MeV, measuring the temperature rise produced by the energy released. This study was performed on the bolometers of the CUORE experiment. The response function of these detectors is not linear in the energy range of interest, and it changes with the operating temperature. The nonlinearity is found to be dominated by the thermistor and its biasing circuit, and is modeled using few measurable parameters. A method to obtain a linear response is the result of this work. It allows a great simplification of the data analysis. © 2010 American Institute of Physics