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The Simons Observatory: A fully remote controlled calibration system with a sparse wire grid for cosmic microwave background telescopes

Journal Article · · Review of Scientific Instruments
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0175099· OSTI ID:2345745
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [1];  [4];  [5];  [5];  [6];  [7];  [5];  [1];  [5];  [5];  [5];  [2];  [1];  [1]
  1. Univ. of Tokyo (Japan)
  2. Kyoto Univ. (Japan)
  3. Kyoto Univ. (Japan); Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)
  4. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (ISAS/JAXA), Sagamihara, Kanagawa (Japan). Institute of Space and Astronautical Science
  5. Univ. of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA (United States); Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, La Jolla, CA (United States)
  6. Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States); Texas Center for Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, Austin, TX (United States)
  7. Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations
For cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization observations, calibration of detector polarization angles is essential. We have developed a fully remote controlled calibration system with a sparse wire grid that reflects linearly polarized light along the wire direction. The new feature is a remote-controlled system for regular calibration, which has not been possible in sparse wire grid calibrators in past experiments. The remote control can be achieved by two electric linear actuators that load or unload the sparse wire grid into a position centered on the optical axis of a telescope between the calibration time and CMB observation. Furthermore, the sparse wire grid can be rotated by using a motor. A rotary encoder and a gravity sensor are installed on the sparse wire grid to monitor the wire direction. They allow us to achieve detector polarization angle calibration with an expected systematic error of 0.08°. The calibration system will be installed in small-aperture telescopes at Simons Observatory.
Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
2345745
Journal Information:
Review of Scientific Instruments, Journal Name: Review of Scientific Instruments Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 94; ISSN 0034-6748
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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A Constraint on Primordial B-modes from the First Flight of the Spider Balloon-borne Telescope journal March 2022
The Simons Observatory Microwave SQUID Multiplexing Detector Module Design journal November 2021
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Related Subjects

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
Black body radiation
Calibration methods
Cosmic microwave background
Measuring instruments
Polarization
Telemetry
Telescopes