Superconducting Bolometer Arrays for Far-Infrared and Millimeter-wave Astrophysics

University Of California-Berkeley, Berkeley CA

Investigators

Abstract

Paul L. Richards AST-0096933 Fully lithographed bolometer arrays using Voltage Biased Superconducting Bolometer (VSB) technology will be used to explore planar band-defining filters and RF multiplexers for use with antenna-coupled bolometers and to fabricate and test prototype arrays of antenna coupled hot-electron bolometers with RF multiplexers and filters, and fabricate and test 32 x 32 absorber-coupled focal-plane bolometer arrays. Also work to explore integrating these arrays with a recently developed readout multiplexer that uses only a single SQUID per row of detectors will continue. This technology will provide new high sensitivity detectors in the currently unexplored but astrophysically interesting sub-millimeter part of the electromagnetic spectrum. ***