Focal Plane Array of Shaped Quartz Lenses for Wide Field-of-view Sub-millimeter Imaging Systems

Large format focal plane arrays (FPAs) of dielectric lenses are promising candidates for wide field-of-view submillimeter imagers. In this work, we optimize the scanning gain of such imagers via shaping lens surfaces. We develop an optimization procedure using a field correlation technique between the fields generated by a reflector on the...

Focused Connected Array Antenna as a Broadband Beam-Steering Feed for Quasi-Optical System

This communication proposes a broadband and efficient integrated focal plane array solution based on a near-field focused connected array of slots. The focused aperture provides: 1) broadband and highly efficient illumination of the quasi-optical system and 2) scanning capabilities within a focusing system. The connected array antenna in turn...

DESHIMA 2.0: Development of an Integrated Superconducting Spectrometer for Science-Grade Astronomical Observations

Integrated superconducting spectrometer (ISS) technology will enable ultra-wideband, integral-field spectroscopy for (sub)millimeter-wave astronomy, in particular, for uncovering the dust-obscured cosmic star formation and galaxy evolution over cosmic time. Here, we present the development of DESHIMA 2.0, an ISS for ultra-wideband...

Ultra-sensitive THz microwave kinetic inductance detectors for future space telescopes

Aims. Future actively cooled space-borne observatories for the far-infrared, loosely defined as a 1-10 THz band, can potentially reach a sensitivity limited only by background radiation from the Universe. This will result in an increase in observing speed of many orders of magnitude. A spectroscopic instrument on such an observatory requires...

Antenna-coupled MKIDs for an Integral Field Unit at 7.8 THz

A focal plane array of extended-hemispherical silicon lenses coupled to aluminum coplanar-waveguide (CPW) Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors (MKIDs) has been designed to operate at 7.8 THz. Low-dispersive leaky-wave radiation has been used to efficiently illuminate the antireflection-coated lenses. To minimize the radiation loss from the...

Far infrared imaging spectrometers for the next generation astronomical instruments

Advances in far infrared astronomy have been, and will be, defined by instrument capabilities. Especially relevant is the development of imaging spectrometers for the wavelength range of 0.03-3 mm, which are not available at all at this moment. We will discuss recent advances in this field: First, we discuss the development of miniature on-chip...

DESHIMA on ASTE: On-Sky Responsivity Calibration of the Integrated Superconducting Spectrometer

We are developing an ultra-wideband spectroscopic instrument, DESHIMA (DEep Spectroscopic HIgh-redshift MApper), based on the technologies of an on-chip filter bank and microwave kinetic inductance detector (MKID) to investigate dusty starburst galaxies in the distant universe at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths. An on-site experiment of...

An Ultra-Wideband Leaky Lens Antenna for Broadband Spectroscopic Imaging Applications

We present the design, fabrication, and characterization of a broadband leaky lens antenna for broadband, spectroscopic imaging applications. The antenna is designed for operation in the 300-900 GHz band. We integrate the antenna directly into an Al-NbTiN hybrid microwave kinetic inductance detector (MKID) to measure the beam pattern and...

A Connected Array of Coherent Photoconductive Pulsed Sources to Generate mW Average Power in the Submillimeter Wavelength Band

A pulsed photoconductive terahertz (THz) source is presented that is able to radiate milliwatt (mW) level average power over a large bandwidth, by exploiting both the optical and electrical properties of photoconductive sources and the ultrawideband properties of connected antenna arrays. An optical system composed of a microlenses array...

Wideband on-chip terahertz spectrometer based on a superconducting filterbank

Terahertz spectrometers with a wide instantaneous frequency coverage for passive remote sensing are enormously attractive for many terahertz applications, such as astronomy, atmospheric science, and security. Here we demonstrate a wide-band terahertz spectrometer based on a single superconducting chip. The chip consists of an antenna coupled...

First light demonstration of the integrated superconducting spectrometer

Ultra-wideband, three-dimensional (3D) imaging spectrometry in the millimeter–submillimeter (mm–submm) band is an essential tool for uncovering the dust-enshrouded portion of the cosmic history of star formation and galaxy evolution^1–3. However, it is challenging to scale up conventional coherent heterodyne receivers⁴ or...

Quasi-Optical System for the ASTE Telescope with 1:3 Bandwidth at Sub-mm Wave

DESHIMA is a spectrometer for astronomical applications targeting sources at sub-mm wavelengths from 240GHz to 720GHz that will operate in the ASTE telescope in Atacama Desert, Chile. In this work, a quasi-optical system based on a hyper-hemispherical leaky lens antenna and a series of Dragonian reflectors is presented as the coupling chain...

Antenna Coupled MKID Performance Verification at 850 GHz for Large Format Astrophysics Arrays

Next generation sub-mm imaging instruments require kilo-pixel focal plane arrays filled with background limited detectors. Microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKIDs) are a state-of-the-art detector for future instruments due to their inherent multiplexing capabilities. An MKID consists of a superconducting resonator coupled to a feed-line...

Fabrication and performance verification of a 961 pixel Kinetic Inductance Detector system for future space borne observatories 9914-138

Astronomical observations at infrared, sub-millimetre, and millimetre wavelengths are essential for addressing many of the key questions in astrophysics. Future ground- and space based observatories need large detector arrays with a sensitivity limited only by the noise of the radiation background. We demonstrate that antenna coupled Microwave...

Incoherent Detection of Orthogonal Polarizations via an Antenna Coupled MKID: Experimental Validation at 1.55 THz

There is an increasing demand for large format detector arrays with large bandwidths and high antenna efficiencies for future THz astronomical radiometric applications. For direct detection instruments, it is also desired to have antennas with dual polarization reception in order to increase the received power from incoherent sources, thereby...

Experimental validation of an MKID coupled dual polarized leaky lens antenna

This contribution presents the design and sub-mm wave measurements of a wideband dual polarized leaky lens antenna coupled to kinetic inductance detector (KIDs) to be specifically used for tightly spaced focal plane arrays. The antenna is planar and composed by two crossed slots, fed by two orthogonal coplanar waveguide (CPW) lines. In...

Full characterisation of a background limited antenna coupled KID over an octave of bandwidth for THz radiation

We present the design, fabrication, and full characterisation (sensitivity, beam pattern, and frequency response) of a background limited broadband antenna coupled kinetic inductance detector covering the frequency range from 1.4 to 2.8 THz. This device shows photon noise limited performance with a noise equivalent power of 2.5 × 10<sup>-19<...

A kilo-pixel imaging system for future space based far-infrared observatories using microwave kinetic inductance detectors

Aims. Future astrophysics and cosmic microwave background space missions operating in the far-infrared to millimetre part of the spectrum will require very large arrays of ultra-sensitive detectors in combination with high multiplexing factors and efficient low-noise and low-power readout systems. We have developed a demonstrator system suitable...