arXiv subjects

Paul Malachuk

Publications and source records attributed to Paul Malachuk.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

CCAT: The Prime-Cam Instrument for the Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope -- Overview and Status

Prime-Cam is a first-generation science instrument for the CCAT Observatory's six-meter aperture Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope (FYST), under construction at an elevation of 5600 m on Cerro Chajnantor in Chile's Atacama Desert. Prime-Cam will deliver over ten times greater mapping speed at submillimeter wavelengths than current facilities for unprecedented broadband and spectroscopic measurements in windows between 1.4 -- 0.3 mm (220 -- 850 GHz). When fully populated, Prime-Cam will field over 100,000 kinetic inductance detectors across seven independently optimized instrument modules. With Prime-Cam, the CCAT Collaboration will address a suite of science goals, from Big Bang cosmology, to galaxy evolution and star formation over cosmic time. Prime-Cam is scheduled for integration in FYST in late 2026, followed by a year of early science observations with the 280 and 350 GHz instrument modules. We discuss the design and in-lab testing of the 1.8-m diameter Prime-Cam receiver and 280 GHz instrument module, and give an update on deployment status and early science plans.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2026

CCAT: Design and Characterization of the 350 GHz Instrument Module

The CCAT Collaboration's Prime-Cam instrument will soon be deployed to the Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope (FYST) in Chile's Atacama Desert. Featuring prominently in Prime-Cam's calibration and early science observations will be the 350 GHz instrument module, a broadband camera that will field more than 10,000 microwave kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs) across three detector arrays. Forecasts show this module will be capable of making the most sensitive to-date measurements of polarized dust emission over a large fraction of the sky at this frequency, enabling new galactic polarization science and improved understanding of cosmological foregrounds. In this work we discuss the design of the 350 GHz instrument module, covering aspects of the optics, readout, and detector arrays. We then report on the results of in-lab testing of the fully-integrated module, achieving stable cryogenic performance with a 100 mK focal plane, high detector yield, and a passband comparable to designed specifications. Upon completion of these tests, this module was shipped to the telescope site in Chile for integration in Prime-Cam.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2026

CCAT: Optical Responsivity, Noise, and Readout Optimization of KIDs for Prime-Cam

The Prime-Cam instrument on the Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope (FYST) at the CCAT Observatory will conduct sensitive millimeter to submillimeter surveys for a range of astrophysical and cosmological sciences. Prime-Cam will use kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs) sensitive to multiple frequency bands spanning 280-850 GHz. With over 100,000 sensors under development, these KID arrays will soon form the largest submillimeter focal plane ever built. With fixed microwave tones probing amplitude and phase modulations in the KIDs due to incoming radiation, challenges arise in determining the optimal readout settings, especially under varying atmospheric loading. Realizing the science goals of FYST requires operating the detectors at optimal performance and determining accurate responsivities, which depend on readout tone placement and power. To address these challenges, we present laboratory measurements of sample pixels from the 280 GHz TiN and Al arrays using a blackbody cold load to simulate observing conditions. These measurements probe detector responsivity and noise across varying optical loading, tone power, and tone placement, providing the foundation to guide in situ calibration and operation of the >100,000 KIDs. We characterize detector sensitivity via the Noise Equivalent Power (NEP) as a function of readout tone power and placement, and measure the impact of detuning due to varying optical power on the NEP. Our test setup and methodology will inform the commissioning of Prime-Cam, in situ detector calibration procedures, the cadence of probe tone resetting, and potential design refinements for future arrays, supporting FYST's planned first light in 2026.

astro-ph.IM↗