Characterization of an Ultra-Sensitive Transition-Edge Sensor for Space-Borne Far-IR/Sub-mm Spectroscopy

Author

Beyer, A.D. ; Kenyon, M.E. ; Echternach, P.M. ; Eom, B.H. ; Bueno, J. ; Day, P.K. ; Bock, J.J. ; Bradford, C.M. ; Khosropanah, P. ; Ridder, M. ; Bruijn, M. ; Hoevers, H. ; Gao, J.R.

Author_Institution

Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Technol., Pasadena, CA, USA

Volume

21

Issue

3

fYear

2011

fDate

6/1/2011 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

199

Lastpage

202

Abstract

We measured the noise equivalent power (NEP) of an ultra-sensitive membrane-isolated transition-edge sensor (TES) designed for the SpicA FAR Infrared instrument (SAFARI) along with several Johnson noise Thermometry Devices (JTDs) simultaneously in a “dark” experimental setup. Our goal was to characterize the dark power P_D present in our experimental setup and its effect on the measured NEP. By employing resistive attenuators, filters, lossy coaxial connections, and a light-tight box, we reduced P_D to 0.25 fW in our setup. For the TES, G was measured to be (325±25) fW/K at T_C=78 mK giving an upper-limit expected NEP of (3.5±0.25)×10^-19 W/Hz^1/2. We measured an actual NEP on the TES equal to (6.5±1.5)×10^-19 W/Hz^1/2, which is approximately double the expected value and likely due to residual electrical dark power in our setup.

Keywords

aerospace instrumentation; astronomical instruments; infrared astronomy; infrared spectroscopy; submillimetre astronomy; submillimetre wave spectroscopy; superconducting device noise; superconducting photodetectors; thermal noise; transition radiation detectors; JTD; Johnson noise thermometry device; NEP; SAFARI; SpicA FAR infrared instrument; TES; filter; light-tight box; lossy coaxial connection; noise equivalent power; resistive attenuator; space-borne far-IR/sub-mm spectroscopy; ultra-sensitive membrane-isolated transition-edge sensor; ultra-sensitive transition-edge sensor; Detectors; Extraterrestrial measurements; Heating; Noise; Power measurement; Temperature measurement; Thermistors; ${rm Si}_{rm x}{rm N}_{rm y}$ thermal properties; Far-infrared spectrometer; submillimeter spectrometer; transition-edge sensor;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Applied Superconductivity, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1051-8223

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TASC.2010.2083612

Filename

5634064