Regensburg 2007 – scientific programme

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TT: Fachverband Tiefe Temperaturen

TT 19: Symposium “Terahertz Detectors”

TT 19.1: Invited Talk

Wednesday, March 28, 2007, 14:00–14:40, H20

Superconducting detectors and mixers for submillimeter astrophysics — •Jonas Zmuidzinas — California Institute of Technology, 320-47, Pasadena, California 91125, USA

Fueled by advances in technology and instrumentation, astrophysics at submillimeter wavelengths has been transformed over the past three decades from a small effort at the fringes of the science into one of its major disciplines. Early developments focused on the superconducting tunnel junction (SIS) mixer, which was invented in the late 1970's and motivated the international ALMA project now being constructed in Atacama, Chile. A second superconducting mixer technology, the hot electron bolometer (HEB) mixer, rose to prominence during the 1990's and allows access to the THz frequencies beyond the reach of SIS devices; both SIS and HEB mixers are used in the HIFI instrument for ESA's 3.5 meter Herschel Space Observatory. In parallel, a technological revolution in submillimeter imaging detector arrays is underway, highlighted by the UK's SCUBA 2 project which relies on superconducting devices for its 10,000 pixel bolometer arrays (TES) and multiplexing electronics (SQUIDs). The TES/SQUID technology is being followed by a new generation of devices, such as the microwave kinetic inductance detector (MKID), and collectively these advances motivate the construction of a large (25m) single-dish telescope in Atacama, CCAT. This review will discuss the history and current status of the field, the interrelationsip between technological and astronomical advances, and the connections to other areas of research.