Realization of a focal plane array receiver system for radio astronomy applications

This paper describes the realization of the design of a cryogenically cooled, low noise, Focal Plane Array, for radio astronomy applications. The system is required to be mounted at the focus of a large parabolic reflector, and perform astronomical measurements in the range 4 GHz to 8 GHz. It allows simultaneous observations with four steerable beams. Surveying and imaging speed of a radio telescope depends on the number of beams creating the field of view. High quality observations require efficient reflector illumination and low-noise temperature of the receiver. The beams are formed by analogue techniques, with minimal power, computing, interference and connectivity overheads. The focus of this paper is on the front end design implementation of the low noise amplifiers, beam forming modules and overall system integration.