Parallel Plate Capacitor Aluminum KIDs for Future Far-Infrared Space-Based Observatories

Nicholas F. Cothard; Christopher Albert; Andrew D. Beyer; Charles M. Bradford; Pierre Echternach; Byeong-Ho Eom; Logan Foote; Marc Foote; Steven Hailey-Dunsheath; Reinier M. J. Janssen; Elijah Kane; Henry LeDuc; Joanna Perido; Jason Glenn; Peter K. Day

arXiv · 2311.00773

Parallel Plate Capacitor Aluminum KIDs for Future Far-Infrared Space-Based Observatories

Nicholas F. Cothard·Christopher Albert·Andrew D. Beyer·Charles M. Bradford·Pierre Echternach·Byeong-Ho Eom·Logan Foote·Marc Foote·Steven Hailey-Dunsheath·Reinier M. J. Janssen·Elijah Kane·Henry LeDuc·Joanna Perido·Jason Glenn·Peter K. Day

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Abstract

Future space-based far-infrared astrophysical observatories will require exquis-itely sensitive detectors consistent with the low optical backgrounds. The PRobe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics (PRIMA) will deploy arrays of thousands of superconducting kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs) sensitive to radiation between 25 and 265 $\mu$m. Here, we present laboratory characterization of prototype, 25 -- 80 $\mu$m wavelength, low-volume, aluminum KIDs designed for the low-background environment expected with PRIMA. A compact parallel plate capacitor is used to minimize the detector footprint and suppress TLS noise. A novel resonant absorber is designed to enhance response in the band of interest. We present noise and optical efficiency measurements of these detectors taken with a low-background cryostat and a cryogenic blackbody. A microlens-hybridized KID array is found to be photon noise limited down to about 50 aW with a limiting detector NEP of about $6.5 \times 10^{-19}~\textrm{W/Hz}^{1/2}$. A fit to an NEP model shows that our optical system is well characterized and understood down to 50 aW. We discuss future plans for low-volume aluminum KID array development as well as the testbeds used for these measurements.

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Nicholas F. Cothard, Christopher Albert, Andrew D. Beyer, Charles M. Bradford, Pierre Echternach, Byeong-Ho Eom, Logan Foote, Marc Foote, Steven Hailey-Dunsheath, Reinier M. J. Janssen, Elijah Kane, Henry LeDuc, Joanna Perido, Jason Glenn, Peter K. Day. 2023-11-01. Parallel Plate Capacitor Aluminum KIDs for Future Far-Infrared Space-Based Observatories. https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.00773

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