Collaborative Research: Demonstration of Superspec: a Superconducting On-Chip Spectrometer for mm and submm Wavelength Astrophysics

合作研究：Superspec 演示：用于毫米和亚毫米波长天体物理学的超导片上光谱仪

• 批准号: 1407351
• 负责人: Charles Bradford
• 金额: $ 55.58万
• 依托单位: California Institute of Technology
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-08-15 至 2018-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1407351&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Demonstration; Superspec; Superconducting

Much of the critical information needed to piece together the puzzles of modern astronomy research is carried by wavelengths of light invisible to the human eye, such as the long wavelength radio waves and the very short wavelength ultraviolet. Building instrumentation to see what the human eye cannot is essential to science. This project aims to develop instruments sensitive to the submillimeter range of the light spectrum, shorter in wavelength than radio waves, but longer than the optical light to which the human eye is sensitive. The investigators indeed set themselves the very ambitious goal of building a complete spectrograph, or detector system, capable of quantitatively measuring wavelength components of submillimeter radiation, on a single chip made by techniques similar to those used to make microscopic electronic integrated circuits.The detectors used in this effort are classic, low-temperature superconductors, configured as bolometric sensors. In particular, this investigation will make use of Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KIDs) made of titanium nitride (TiN), a relatively mature material system and detector design that calls for relatively relaxed line rules. When devices are ready, they will be deployed on an instrument taken to a telescope. Demonstration observations will target distant dusty galaxies. Longer term, the technology to be pioneered here will enable Integral Field Unit instrumentation featuring 2D arrays of spectrometers, a powerful tool in a broad range of astronomy.These observations should have substantial broader impacts as a technology pathfinder in an exciting new direction in submillimeter instrumentation. The planned training of younger scientists, and the public outreach activities of the senior personnel, will help to communicate this excitement to the profession and the general public.Funding for this project is being provided by NSF's Division of Astronomical Sciences through its Advanced Technologies and Instrumentation program.

将现代天文学研究拼图拼凑在一起所需的许多关键信息是由人眼的光线不可见的，例如长波长无线电波和非常短的波长紫外线。 构建工具以了解人眼对科学至关重要。 该项目旨在开发对光谱的亚毫米范围敏感的仪器，比无线电波短，但比人眼敏感的光学光更长。 研究人员确实将自己设定了一个非常雄心勃勃的目标，即建立一个能够定量测量亚毫米辐射的波长成分的完整光谱仪或检测器系统，该目标是由与用来使微观电子集成电路相似的技术制成的。在这种努力中使用的探测器是经典的，低的实质性超级高度高位的探测器。 特别是，这项研究将利用由硝酸钛（TIN）制成的动力电感探测器（儿童），这是一种相对成熟的材料系统和探测器设计，需要相对放松的线条规则。 准备好设备时，它们将部署在带到望远镜的仪器上。 演示观测将靶向遥远的尘土星系。 从长远来看，这里要开创的技术将使具有2D光谱仪阵列的整体场单元仪器能够，这是一种在广泛天文学中的强大工具。这些观察结果应作为在亚亚略仪仪器中令人兴奋的新方向的技术探索者中产生的更广泛的影响。计划对年轻科学家的培训以及高级人员的公共外展活动，将有助于将这种兴奋传达给该行业和公众。该项目的资金由NSF的天文学科学部提供，通过其先进的技术和仪器计划提供。