scholarly journals The NIKA2 large-field-of-view millimetre continuum camera for the 30 m IRAM telescope

2018 ◽  
Vol 609 ◽  
pp. A115 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Adam ◽  
A. Adane ◽  
P. A. R. Ade ◽  
P. André ◽  
A. Andrianasolo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Focal Plane ◽  
High Redshift ◽  
General Purpose ◽  
Focal Plane Arrays ◽  
Field Of View ◽  
Dual Band ◽  
Large Field ◽  
Kinetic Inductance Detectors ◽  
Kinetic Inductance ◽  
Millimetre Wave

Context. Millimetre-wave continuum astronomy is today an indispensable tool for both general astrophysics studies (e.g. star formation, nearby galaxies) and cosmology (e.g. cosmic microwave background and high-redshift galaxies). General purpose, large-field-of-view instruments are needed to map the sky at intermediate angular scales not accessible by the high-resolution interferometers (e.g. ALMA in Chile, NOEMA in the French Alps) and by the coarse angular resolution space-borne or ground-based surveys (e.g. Planck, ACT, SPT). These instruments have to be installed at the focal plane of the largest single-dish telescopes, which are placed at high altitude on selected dry observing sites. In this context, we have constructed and deployed a three-thousand-pixel dual-band (150 GHz and 260 GHz, respectively 2 mm and 1.15 mm wavelengths) camera to image an instantaneous circular field-of-view of 6.5 arcmin in diameter, and configurable to map the linear polarisation at 260 GHz. Aims. First, we are providing a detailed description of this instrument, named NIKA2 (New IRAM KID Arrays 2), in particular focussing on the cryogenics, optics, focal plane arrays based on Kinetic Inductance Detectors, and the readout electronics. The focal planes and part of the optics are cooled down to the nominal 150 mK operating temperature by means of an adhoc dilution refrigerator. Secondly, we are presenting the performance measured on the sky during the commissioning runs that took place between October 2015 and April 2017 at the 30-m IRAM telescope at Pico Veleta, near Granada (Spain). Methods. We have targeted a number of astronomical sources. Starting from beam-maps on primary and secondary calibrators we have then gone to extended sources and faint objects. Both internal (electronic) and on-the-sky calibrations are applied. The general methods are described in the present paper. Results. NIKA2 has been successfully deployed and commissioned, performing in-line with expectations. In particular, NIKA2 exhibits full width at half maximum angular resolutions of around 11 and 17.5 arcsec at respectively 260 and 150 GHz. The noise equivalent flux densities are, at these two respective frequencies, 33±2 and 8±1 mJy s1/2. A first successful science verification run was achieved in April 2017. The instrument is currently offered to the astronomy community and will remain available for at least the following ten years.

scholarly journals A wide field-of-view low-resolution spectrometer at APEX: Instrument design and scientific forecast

2020 ◽  
Vol 642 ◽  
pp. A60
Author(s):  
◽  
P. Ade ◽  
M. Aravena ◽  
E. Barria ◽  
A. Beelen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Instrument Design ◽  
Field Of View ◽  
Large Field ◽  
Kinetic Inductance Detectors ◽  
Kinetic Inductance ◽  
Base Temperature ◽  
Low Resolution ◽  
Intensity Mapping ◽  
The Universe ◽  
Resolution Spectrometer

Context. Characterising the large-scale structure in the Universe from present times to the high redshift epoch of reionisation is essential to constraining the cosmology, the history of star formation, and reionisation, to measuring the gas content of the Universe, and to obtaining a better understanding of the physical processes that drive galaxy formation and evolution. Using the integrated emission from unresolved galaxies or gas clouds, line intensity mapping (LIM) provides a new observational window to measure the larger properties of structures. This very promising technique motivates the community to plan for LIM experiments. Aims. We describe the development of a large field-of-view instrument, named CONCERTO (for CarbON CII line in post-rEionisation and ReionisaTiOn epoch), operating in the range 130–310 GHz from the APEX 12-m telescope (5100 m above sea level). CONCERTO is a low-resolution spectrometer based on the lumped element kinetic inductance detectors (LEKID) technology. Spectra are obtained using a fast Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS), coupled to a dilution cryostat with a base temperature of 0.1 K. Two two kilo-pixel arrays of LEKID are mounted inside the cryostat that also contains the cold optics and the front-end electronics. Methods. We present, in detail, the technological choices leading to the instrumental concept, together with the design and fabrication of the instrument and preliminary laboratory tests on the detectors. We also give our best estimates for CONCERTO sensitivity and give predictions for two of the main scientific goals of CONCERTO, that is, a [CII]-intensity mapping survey and observations of galaxy clusters. Results. We provide a detailed description of the instrument design. Based on realistic comparisons with existing instruments developed by our group (NIKA, NIKA2, and KISS), and on the laboratory characterisation of our detectors, we provide an estimate for CONCERTO sensitivity on the sky. Finally, we describe, in detail, two of the main scientific goals offered by CONCERTO at APEX.

scholarly journals A Dual-Band Focal Plane Array of Kinetic Inductance Bolometers Based on Frequency-Selective Absorbers

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 746-756 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahab Oddin Dabironezare ◽  
Juha Hassel ◽  
Erio Gandini ◽  
Leif Gronberg ◽  
Hannu Sipola ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Focal Plane ◽  
Focal Plane Array ◽  
Dual Band ◽  
Kinetic Inductance ◽  
Frequency Selective

scholarly journals NIKA: a mm camera for Sunyaev-Zel’dovich science in clusters of galaxies

2020 ◽  
Vol 228 ◽  
pp. 00016
Author(s):  
J.F. Macías-Pérez ◽  
R. Adam ◽  
P. Ade ◽  
P. André ◽  
A. Andrianasolo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dark Matter ◽  
Angular Resolution ◽  
High Redshift ◽  
Radial Pressure ◽  
Pressure Profile ◽  
Field Of View ◽  
Dual Band ◽  
Clusters Of Galaxies ◽  
The Universe

Clusters of galaxies, the largest bound objects in the Universe, constitute a cosmological probe of choice, which is sensitive to both dark matter and dark energy. Within this framework, the Sunyaev-Zel’dovich (SZ) effect has opened a new window for the detection of clusters of galaxies and for the characterization of their physical properties such as mass, pressure and temperature. NIKA, a KID-based dual band camera installed at the IRAM 30-m telescope, was particularly well adapted in terms of frequency, angular resolution, field-of-view and sensitivity, for the mapping of the thermal and kinetic SZ effect in high-redshift clusters. In this paper, we present the NIKA cluster sample and a review of the main results obtained via the measurement of the SZ effect on those clusters: reconstruction of the cluster radial pressure profile, mass, temperature and velocity.

Dual-band millimeter-wave/infrared focal-plane arrays

2005 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Abdel-Rahman ◽  
B. Lail ◽  
G. D. Boreman
Keyword(s):  
Millimeter Wave ◽  
Focal Plane ◽  
Focal Plane Arrays ◽  
Dual Band ◽  
Infrared Focal Plane Arrays

IMAGING PERFORMANCE OF ADVANCED QWIP FOCAL PLANE ARRAYS

2002 ◽  
Vol 12 (03) ◽  
pp. 659-690 ◽  
Author(s):  
ARNOLD GOLDBERG
Keyword(s):  
Quantum Efficiency ◽  
Temperature Difference ◽  
Focal Plane ◽  
Focal Plane Arrays ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Dual Band ◽  
Large Format ◽  
Ir Camera ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Imaging Performance

Since the first demonstration of the quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP) in the 1980s, there has been much progress in the application of QWIPs to the production infrared (IR) imaging systems. At this time, focal plane arrays (FPAs) made from QWIPs are readily available for insertion in IR cameras with formats as large as 640 × 480 pixels. Several organizations now have commercially available IR camera systems using QWIPs. In spite of the low single-pixel quantum efficiency relative to MCT, excellent IR imagery has been demonstrated with large format (640 × 480 pixels) single-band and moderate format (256 × 256 pixels) dual-band FPAs. With a large-format staring FPA, one can integrate the signal current for a relatively long time to produce images of similar quality to that from a scanned line array run at the same frame rate. In fact, it can be shown that due to the nature of the noise in a QWIP device, the noise performance of a QWIP FPA can be better than that of MCT FPA as long as the conversion efficiency (the product of the quantum efficiency and the photoconductive gain) is high enough for the read-out integrated circuit (ROIC) integration capacitor to be filled in a frame time. In this chapter the results of laboratory and field tests on large-format single-color QWIP FPAs operating in the LWIR band and dual-band FPAs operating in both the MWIR and LWIR bands simultaneously will be shown. Single-color and dual-band arrays will be shown to give excellent imaging performance and that dual-band FPAs offer unique capabilities to investigate the phenomenology of targets and backgrounds. The performance of the FPAs will be presented from a system performance perspective over a wide range of operating conditions (temperature, bias, integration time, etc.). Results of measurements of noise-equivalent temperature difference (NEΔT), minimum resolvable temperature difference (MRTD measured as a function of target spatial frequency), responsivity, and dark current will be reported. Imagery collected in the field will show the utility of large-format LWIR FPAs for increasing the range at which targets can be identified over previous-generation scanning imagers. Dual-band imagery collected using a QWIP FPA will show how such an array as part of a future imaging system may be able to exploit differences in the IR signatures of targets and backgrounds in the MWIR and LWIR bands to enhance the visibility of targets in cluttered environments. We also show how such an array can be used to make accurate remote temperature measurements. Finally, we will compare the performance of state-of-the-art FPAs made from QWIPs and MCT.

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