The LMT 2 Millimeter Receiver System (B4R). I. Overview and Results of Science Demonstration

Abstract

We report on the results of the on-sky test and science demonstration conducted with the 2 mm receiver system, B4R, on the 50 m Large Millimeter Telescope (LMT), located at an altitude of 4600 m in Mexico. The B4R receiver was developed based on the dual-polarization sideband-separating mixer technology of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, and is equipped with a fast Fourier transform digital spectrometer, XFFTS. The primary science objective is the spectroscopic redshift identification of high-redshift dusty star-forming galaxies, complementing the existing 3 mm Redshift Search Receiver by enabling the detection of multiple carbon monoxide lines. Additionally, the B4R receiver broadens the range of science cases possible with the LMT, including astrochemistry, as the 2 mm band encompasses unique molecular lines such as deuterated molecules and shock tracers. During on-site commissioning in 2018 and 2019, we successfully demonstrated on-the-fly mapping and position-switching observations toward the Orion Molecular Cloud 1 and bright high-redshift dusty star-forming galaxies, respectively. We confirmed that the installed B4R system largely met its basic performance specifications. Furthermore, we measured the LMT's aperture efficiencies across the entire B4R frequency range (130-160 GHz), finding them to be roughly consistent with expectations based on a surface accuracy of 100 $\mu$m and the receiver optics design. These results with the B4R will enable the most sensitive single-dish spectroscopic observations at 2 mm using the LMT.