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Context. Current generation millimeter wavelength detectors suffer from scaling limits imposed by complex cryogenic readout electronics. These instruments typically employ multiplexing ratios well below a hundred. To achieve multiplexing ratios greater than a thousand, it is imperative to investigate technologies that intrinsically incorporate strong multiplexing. One possible solution is the kinetic inductance detector (KID). To assess the potential of this nascent technology, a prototype instrument optimized for the 2 mm atmospheric window was constructed. Known as the Néel IRAM KID Array (NIKA), it has recently been tested at the Institute for Millimetric Radio Astronomy (IRAM) 30-m telescope at Pico Veleta, Spain.
Aims. There were four principle research objectives: to determine the practicality of developing a giant array instrument based on KIDs, to measure current in-situ pixel sensitivities, to identify limiting noise sources, and to image both calibration and scientifically-relevant astronomical sources.
Methods. The detectors consisted of arrays of high-quality superconducting resonators electromagnetically coupled to a transmission line and operated at ~100 mK. The impedance of the resonators was modulated by incident radiation; two separate arrays were tested to evaluate the efficiency of two unique optical-coupling strategies. The first array consisted of lumped element kinetic inductance detectors (LEKIDs), which have a fully planar design properly shaped to enable direct absorbtion. The second array consisted of antenna-coupled KIDs with individual sapphire microlenses aligned with planar slot antennas. Both detectors utilized a single transmission line along with suitable room-temperature digital electronics for continuous readout.
Results. NIKA was successfully tested in October 2009, performing in line with expectations. The measurement resulted in the imaging of a number of sources, including planets, quasars, and galaxies. The images for Mars, radio star MWC349, quasar 3C345, and galaxy M?87 are presented. From these results, the optical NEP was calculated to be around 1 × 10-15 W/Hz1/2. A factor of 10 improvement is expected to be readily feasible by improvements in the detector materials and reduction of performance-degrading spurious radiation.
Kinetic Inductance Detectors with Integrated Antennas for Ground and Space-Based Sub-mm Astronomy
(2009)
Very large arrays of Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors (MKIDs) have the potential to revolutionize ground and space based astronomy. They can offer in excess of 10.000 pixels with large dynamic range and very high sensitivity in combination with very efficient frequency division multiplexing at GHz frequencies. In this paper we present the development of a 400 pixel MKID demonstration array, including optical coupling, sensitivity measurements, beam pattern measurements and readout. The design presented can be scaled to any frequency between 80 GHz and >5 THz because there is no need for superconducting structures that become lossy at frequencies above the gap frequency of the materials used. The latter would limit the frequency coverage to below 1 THz for relatively high gap materials such as NbTiN. An individual pixels of the array consist of a distributed Aluminium CPW MKID with an integrated twin slot antenna at its end. The antenna is placed in the in the second focus of an elliptical high purity Si lens. The lens-antenna coupling design allows room for the MKID resonator outside of the focal point of the lens. The best dark noise equivalent power of these devices is measured to be NEP = 7×10-19 W/[square root]Hz and the optical coupling efficiency is around 30%, in which no antireflection coating was used on the Si lens. For the readout we use a commercial arbitrary waveform generator and a 1.5 GHz FFTS. We show that using this concept it is possible to read out in excess of 400 pixels with 1 board and 1 pair of coaxial cables.
Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors have great potential for large very sensitive detector arrays for use in, for example, ground and spaced based sub?mm imaging. Being intrinsically readout in the frequency domain, they are particularly suited for frequency domain multiplexing allowing 1000s of devices to be readout with one pair of coaxial cables. However, this moves the complexity of the detector from the cryogenics to the warm electronics. We present the use of a readout based on a Fast Fourier transform Spectrometer, showing no deterioration of the noise performance compared to low noise analog mixing while allowing high multiplexing ratios (>100). We present use of this technique to multiplex 44 MKIDs, while this and similar setups are regularly now being used in our array development. This development will help the realization of large cameras, particularly in the short term for ground based astronomy.
Microwave kinetic inductance detectors have great potential for large, very sensitive detector arrays for use in, for example, submillimeter imaging. Being intrinsically readout in the frequency domain, they are particularly suited for frequency domain multiplexing allowing ?1000s of devices to be readout with one pair of coaxial cables. However, this moves the complexity of the detector from the cryogenics to the warm electronics. We present here the concept and experimental demonstration of the use of fast Fourier transform spectrometer readout, showing no deterioration of the noise performance compared to the low noise analog mixing while allowing high multiplexing ratios.
Based on our reconfigurable FPGA spectrometer technology, we have developed a read-out system, operating in the frequency domain, for arrays of Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors (MKIDs). The readout consists of a combination of two digital boards: A programmable DAC-/FPGA-board (tone-generator) to stimulate the MKIDs detectors and an ADC-/FPGA-unit to analyze the detectors response. Laboratory measurement show no deterioration of the noise performance compared to low noise analog mixing. Thus, this technique allows capturing several hundreds of detector signals with just one pair of coaxial cables.
