Development of multi-chroic MKIDs for next-generation CMB polarization studies

Journal article

We report on the status of an ongoing effort to develop arrays of horn-coupled, polarization-sensitive microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKIDs) that are each sensitive to two spectral bands between 125 and 280 GHz. These multi-chroic MKID arrays are tailored for next-generation, large-detector-count experiments that are being designed to simultaneously characterize the polarization properties of both the cosmic microwave background and Galactic dust emission. We present our device design and describe laboratory-based measurement results from two 23-element prototype arrays. From dark measurements of our first engineering array, we demonstrated a multiplexing factor of 92, showed the resonators respond to bath temperature changes as expected, and found that the fabrication yield was 100%. From our first optically loaded array, we found the MKIDs respond to millimeter-wave pulses; additional optical characterization measurements are ongoing. We end by discussing our plans for scaling up this technology to kilo-pixel arrays over the next 2 years.

Authors: Johnson, BR; Flanigan, D; Abitbol, MH; Ade, PAR; Bryan, S

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Journal: Journal of Low Temperature Physics
• Volume: 193
• Issue: 3-4
• Pages: 103–112
• Publication date: 2018-07-30
• Acceptance date: 2018-07-18
• DOI: 10.1007/s10909-018-2032-y
• EISSN: 1573-7357
• ISSN: 0022-2291
• Language: English
• Keywords: CMB; polarization; multi-chroic; MKIDs