FERRUGGIA BONURA, SalvatoreSalvatoreFERRUGGIA BONURAGULLI, DANIELEDANIELEGULLIBARBERA, MarcoMarcoBARBERACOLLURA, AlfonsoAlfonsoCOLLURASPOTO, DOMENICODOMENICOSPOTOVassallo, PaolaPaolaVassalloVARISCO, SalvatoreSalvatoreVARISCOSantamaria, MonicaMonicaSantamariaDi Franco, FrancescoFrancescoDi FrancoZaffora, AndreaAndreaZafforaBotta, LuigiLuigiBottaLO CICERO, UGOUGOLO CICERO2023-10-062023-10-0620200022-2291http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12386/34440This research has been supported by Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF) and Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), in the framework of the MISTER-X balloon-borne experiment preliminary activities. The authors thank prof. Giuseppe Lullo of Dipartimento di Ingegneria—Università di Palermo—for relevant support in patterning the microlithographic mask.The high-spectral-resolution detection of hard X-rays (E > 20 keV) is a challenging and nearly unexplored area in space astrophysics. Traditionally hard X-ray detectors present moderate spectral resolutions, although few tens of eV one could open new frontiers in the study of nuclear processes and high-temperature plasma dynamics in energetic processes. This can be achieved by using cryogenic microcalorimeters. Within a research activity aimed at developing arrays of neutron transmutation-doped germanium (NTD-Ge) microcalorimeters for the high-spectral-resolution detection (about 50 eV@60 keV) of hard X-rays (20 keV < E<100 keV), we developed an electroplating process to fabricate high-thickness (> 60 μm) bismuth absorber arrays. The adopted technological process and the study of related process parameters are discussed; preliminary results on produced arrays are given.STAMPAenArticle10.1007/s10909-020-02475-62-s2.0-85085309987https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10909-020-02475-6https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85085309987FIS/05 - ASTRONOMIA E ASTROFISICAERC sectors::Physical Sciences and Engineering::PE9 Universe sciences: astro-physics/chemistry/biology; solar systems; stellar, galactic and extragalactic astronomy, planetary systems, cosmology, space science, instrumentation::PE9_17 Instrumentation – telescopes, detectors and techniques