Development of Background-Limited MKID Systems for Millimeter-Wave and Far-Infrared Observations

Published

December 22, 2015

Author(s)

Jason Austermann, James Beall, Daniel Becker, Hsiao-Mei Cho, Mark Devlin, Brad Dober, Shannon Duff, Jiansong Gao, Chris Groppi, Gene C. Hilton, Johannes Hubmayr, Kent D. Irwin, D Li, Phillip Mauskopf, David P. Pappas, Leila Vale, Jeffrey Van Lanen, Michael Vissers, Yiwen Wang

Abstract

NIST-Boulder is heading a program in the development of feedhorn-coupled, background-limited Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors (MKIDs) for observation at far-infrared to millimeter wavelengths. MKIDs provide a compelling path forward towards the next generation of large-format polarimeters, imagers, and spectrometers for experiments in cosmology and astrophysics that will require channel counts on order 10,000. Here we present performance results of our latest devices being developed for the sub-orbital, next generation BLAST polarimeter experiment that will operate in bandpasses centered at 600, 850, and 1200 GHz. We will review major recent milestones, including background-limited performance in the prototype BLAST 1.2 THz pixels over a wide range of input powers relevant to both balloon-borne and satellite experiments. We also review efforts at NIST to expand this technology to a wide range of applications through scaling to various frequencies (150GHz-1.4THz),coupling techniques, multi-frequency pixels, material development, and readout development that will allow for a high level of scalability.

Conference Dates

March 16-18, 2015

Conference Location

Cambridge, MA, US

Conference Title

26TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON SPACE TERAHERTZ TECHNOLOGY

Pub Type

Conferences

Download Paper

Local Download

Keywords

feedhorn-coupled, Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors, MKIDs, far-infrared, millimeter wavelengths, large-format polarimeters, imagers, spectrometers, cosmology, astrophysics, BLAST polarimeter experiment, balloon-borne, satellite experiments, coupling techniques, multi-frequency pixels, material development, readout development, scalability

Citation

Austermann, J. , Beall, J. , Becker, D. , Cho, H. , Devlin, M. , Dober, B. , Duff, S. , Gao, J. , Groppi, C. , Hilton, G. , Hubmayr, J. , Irwin, K. , Li, D. , Mauskopf, P. , Pappas, D. , Vale, L. , Van Lanen, J. , Vissers, M. and Wang, Y. (2015), Development of Background-Limited MKID Systems for Millimeter-Wave and Far-Infrared Observations, 26TH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON SPACE TERAHERTZ TECHNOLOGY, Cambridge, MA, US, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=918314 (Accessed August 12, 2026)

Additional citation formats