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arXiv · 1105.4203

Design and performance of the ADMX SQUID-based microwave receiver

S. J. Asztalos·G. Carosi·C. Hagmann·D. Kinion·K. van Bibber·M. Hotz·L. J Rosenberg·G. Rybka·A. Wagner·J. Hoskins·C. Martin·N. S. Sullivan·D. B. Tanner·R. Bradley·John Clarke
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Abstract

The Axion Dark Matter eXperiment (ADMX) was designed to detect ultra-weakly interacting relic axion particles by searching for their conversion to microwave photons in a resonant cavity positioned in a strong magnetic field. Given the extremely low expected axion-photon conversion power we have designed, built and operated a microwave receiver based on a Superconducting QUantum Interference Device (SQUID). We describe the ADMX receiver in detail as well as the analysis of narrow band microwave signals. We demonstrate the sustained use of a SQUID amplifier operating between 812 and 860 MHz with a noise temperature of 1 K. The receiver has a noise equivalent power of 1.1x10^-24 W/sqrt(Hz) in the band of operation for an integration time of 1.8x10^3 s.

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S. J. Asztalos, G. Carosi, C. Hagmann, D. Kinion, K. van Bibber, M. Hotz, L. J Rosenberg, G. Rybka, A. Wagner, J. Hoskins, C. Martin, N. S. Sullivan, D. B. Tanner, R. Bradley, John Clarke. 2011-05-21. Design and performance of the ADMX SQUID-based microwave receiver. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2011.07.019

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