First Astronomical Use of Multiplexed Transition Edge Bolometers
Creators
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1.
Goddard Space Flight Center
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2.
National Institute of Standards and Technology
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3.
Imperial College London
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4.
University of Wales
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5.
California Institute of Technology
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6.
Centre d'Etudes Supérieures de la Renaissance
Contributors
Abstract
We present performance results based on the first astronomical use of multiplexed superconducting bolometers. The Fabry-Perot Interferometer Bolometer Research Experiment (FIBRE) is a broadband submillimeter spectrometer that achieved first light in June 2001 at the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (CSO). FIBRE'S detectors are superconducting transition edge sensor (TES) bolometers read out by a SQUID multiplexer. The Fabry-Perot uses a low resolution grating to order sort the incoming light. A linear bolometer array consisting of 16 elements detects this dispersed light, capturing 5 orders simultaneously from one position on the sky. With tuning of the Fabry-Perot over one free spectral range, a spectrum covering Δλ/λ= 1/7 at a resolution of δλ/λ ≈ 1/1200 can be acquired. This spectral resolution is sufficient to resolve Doppler-broadened line emission from external galaxies. FIBRE operates in the 350 µm and 450 µm bands. These bands cover line emission from the important star formation tracers neutral carbon [Cl] and carbon monoxide (CO). We have verified that the multiplexed bolometers are photon noise limited even with the low power present in moderate resolution spectrometry.
Additional Information
© 2002 American Institute of Physics. Issue Date: 5 February 2002. We thank the staff of the CSO for making the observations described here possible; their support was crucial in the commissioning of FIBRE. We owe a debt of gratitude to many at NASA/GSFC for their contributions to FIBRE hardware and software.Attached Files
Published - BENaipcp02.pdf
Files
BENaipcp02.pdf
Additional details
Identifiers
- Eprint ID
- 27565
- Resolver ID
- CaltechAUTHORS:20111101-150746771
Funding
- FIBRE
- NASA/GSFC
Dates
- Created
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2011-11-02Created from EPrint's datestamp field
- Updated
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2021-11-09Created from EPrint's last_modified field
Caltech Custom Metadata
- Series Name
- AIP Conference Series
- Series Volume or Issue Number
- 605