Optimization of Time-and Code-Division-Multiplexed Readout for Athena X-IFU

Published

March 18, 2019

Author(s)

William B. Doriese, Simon R. Bandler, Saptarshi Chaudhuri, Carl S. Dawson, Edward V. Denison, Shannon M. Duff, Malcolm S. Durkin, C. T. FitzGerald, Joseph W. Fowler, Johnathon D. Gard, Gene C. Hilton, Kent D. Irwin, Young I. Joe, Kelsey M. Morgan, Galen C. O'Neil, Christine G. Pappas, Carl D. Reintsema, David A. Rudman, Stephen J. Smith, Robert W. Stevens, Daniel S. Swetz, Paul Szypryt, Joel N. Ullom, Leila R. Vale, Joel C. Weber, B. A. Young

Abstract

Readout of a large, spacecraft-based array of superconducting transition-edge sensors (TESs) requires careful management of the layout area and power dissipation of the cryogenic-circuit components. We present three optimizations of our time- (TDM) and code-division-multiplexing (CDM) systems for the X-ray integral field unit (X-IFU), a several-thousand-pixel-TES array for the planned Athena-satellite mission. The first optimization is a new readout scheme that is a hybrid of CDM and TDM. This C/TDM architecture balances CDM's noise advantage with TDM's layout compactness. The second is a redesign of a component: the shunt resistor that provides a dc-voltage bias to the TESs. A new layout and a thicker Pd-Au resistive layer combine to reduce this resistor's area by more than a factor of 5. Third, we have studied the power dissipated by the first-stage superconducting quantum-interference devices (SQUIDs) and the readout noise versus the critical current of the first-stage SQUIDs. As a result, the X-IFU TDM and C/TDM SQUIDs will have a specified junction critical current of 5 μA. Based on these design optimizations and TDM experiments described by Durkin et al. (these proceedings), TDM meets all requirements to be X-IFU's backup-readout option. Hybrid C/TDM is another viable option that could save spacecraft resources.

Proceedings Title

IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity

Volume

29

Issue

5

Conference Dates

October 29-November 2, 2018

Conference Location

Seattle, WA

Conference Title

Applied Superconductivity Conference

Pub Type

Conferences

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1109/TASC.2019.2905577

Local Download

Keywords

transition-edge sensor, superconducting quantum-interference device, multiplexed readout, X-ray microcalorimeter, Athena satellite, Time-and Code-Division-Multiplexed readout, cryogenic circuits

Citation

Doriese, W. , Bandler, S. , Chaudhuri, S. , Dawson, C. , Denison, E. , Duff, S. , Durkin, M. , FitzGerald, C. , Fowler, J. , Gard, J. , Hilton, G. , Irwin, K. , Joe, Y. , Morgan, K. , O'Neil, G. , Pappas, C. , Reintsema, C. , Rudman, D. , Smith, S. , Stevens, R. , Swetz, D. , Szypryt, P. , Ullom, J. , Vale, L. , Weber, J. and Young, B. (2019), Optimization of Time-and Code-Division-Multiplexed Readout for Athena X-IFU, IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, Seattle, WA, [online], https://doi.org/10.1109/TASC.2019.2905577 (Accessed October 6, 2025)