Thermal kinetic inductance detectors for millimeter-wave detection

Journal Article · Wed Jul 29 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · J.Appl.Phys.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0002413· OSTI ID:1647083

Wandui, Albert ^[1]; Bock, James J. ^[1]; Frez, Clifford ^[2]; Hollister, M. ^[3]; Minutolo, Lorenzo ^[2]; Nguyen, Hien ^[2]; Steinbach, Bryan ^[1]; Turner, Anthony ^[2]; Zmuidzinas, Jonas ^[1]; O'Brient, Roger ^[2]

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1. Caltech
2. Caltech, JPL
3. Fermilab

Thermal Kinetic-Inductance Detectors (TKIDs) combine the excellent noise performance of traditional bolometers with a radio frequency multiplexing architecture that enables the large detector counts needed for the next generation of millimeter-wave instruments. In this paper, we first discuss the expected noise sources in TKIDs and derive the limits where the phonon noise contribution dominates over the other detector noise terms: generation–recombination, amplifier, and two-level system noise. Second, we characterize aluminum TKIDs in a dark environment. We present measurements of TKID resonators with quality factors of about 10 5 at 80 mK. We also discuss the bolometer thermal conductance, heat capacity, and time constants. These were measured by the use of a resistor on the thermal island to excite the bolometers. These dark aluminum TKIDs demonstrate a noise equivalent power, NEP = 2 × 10 − 17 W / Hz , with a 1 / f knee at 0.1 Hz, which provides background noise limited performance for ground-based telescopes observing at 150 GHz.

• Research Organization: Caltech; Caltech, JPL; Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy
• Grant/Contract Number: AC02-07CH11359
• OSTI ID: 1647083
• Report Number(s): FERMILAB-PUB-20-402-TD; oai:inspirehep.net:1777167; arXiv:2001.08887
• Journal Information: J.Appl.Phys., Journal Name: J.Appl.Phys. Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 128
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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