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arXiv · 1511.06011

A passive THz video camera based on lumped element kinetic inductance detectors

Sam Rowe·Enzo Pascale·Simon Doyle·Chris Dunscombe·Peter Hargrave·Andreas Papageorgio·Ken Wood·Peter A. R. Ade·Peter Barry·Aurélien Bideaud·Tom Brien·Chris Dodd·William Grainger·Julian House·Philip Mauskopf·Paul Moseley·Locke Spencer·Rashmi Sudiwala·Carole Tucker·Ian Walker
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Abstract

We have developed a passive 350 GHz (850 μm) video-camera to demonstrate lumped element kinetic inductance detectors (LEKIDs) -- designed originally for far-infrared astronomy -- as an option for general purpose terrestrial terahertz imaging applications. The camera currently operates at a quasi-video frame rate of 2 Hz with a noise equivalent temperature difference per frame of $\sim$0.1 K, which is close to the background limit. The 152 element superconducting LEKID array is fabricated from a simple 40 nm aluminum film on a silicon dielectric substrate and is read out through a single microwave feedline with a cryogenic low noise amplifier and room temperature frequency domain multiplexing electronics.

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Sam Rowe, Enzo Pascale, Simon Doyle, Chris Dunscombe, Peter Hargrave, Andreas Papageorgio, Ken Wood, Peter A. R. Ade, Peter Barry, Aurélien Bideaud, Tom Brien, Chris Dodd, William Grainger, Julian House, Philip Mauskopf, Paul Moseley, Locke Spencer, Rashmi Sudiwala, Carole Tucker, Ian Walker. 2015-11-18. A passive THz video camera based on lumped element kinetic inductance detectors. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4941661

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