arXiv subjects

S. J. C. Yates

Publications and source records attributed to S. J. C. Yates.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

A dual-band millimeter-wave kinetic inductance camera for the IRAM 30-meter telescope

Context. The Neel IRAM KIDs Array (NIKA) is a fully-integrated measurement system based on kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs) currently being developed for millimeter wave astronomy. In a first technical run, NIKA was successfully tested in 2009 at the Institute for Millimetric Radio Astronomy (IRAM) 30-meter telescope at Pico Veleta, Spain. This prototype consisted of a 27-42 pixel camera imaging at 150 GHz. Subsequently, an improved system has been developed and tested in October 2010 at the Pico Veleta telescope. The instrument upgrades included dual-band optics allowing simultaneous imaging at 150 GHz and 220 GHz, faster sampling electronics enabling synchronous measurement of up to 112 pixels per measurement band, improved single-pixel sensitivity, and the fabrication of a sky simulator to replicate conditions present at the telescope. Results. The new dual-band NIKA was successfully tested in October 2010, performing in-line with sky simulator predictions. Initially the sources targeted during the 2009 run were re-imaged, verifying the improved system performance. An optical NEP was then calculated to be around 2 \dot 10-16 W/Hz1/2. This improvement in comparison with the 2009 run verifies that NIKA is approaching the target sensitivity for photon-noise limited ground-based detectors. Taking advantage of the larger arrays and increased sensitivity, a number of scientifically-relevant faint and extended objects were then imaged including the Galactic Center SgrB2(FIR1), the radio galaxy Cygnus A and the NGC1068 Seyfert galaxy. These targets were all observed simultaneously in the 150 GHz and 220 GHz atmospheric windows.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2010

NIKA: A millimeter-wave kinetic inductance camera

Current generation millimeter wavelength detectors suffer from scaling limits imposed by complex cryogenic readout electronics. To circumvent this it is imperative to investigate technologies that intrinsically incorporate strong multiplexing. One possible solution is the kinetic inductance detector (KID). In order to assess the potential of this nascent technology, a prototype instrument optimized for the 2 mm atmospheric window was constructed. Known as the Néel IRAM KIDs Array (NIKA), it was recently tested at the Institute for Millimetric Radio Astronomy (IRAM) 30-meter telescope at Pico Veleta, Spain. The measurement resulted in the imaging of a number of sources, including planets, quasars, and galaxies. The images for Mars, radio star MWC349, quasar 3C345, and galaxy M87 are presented. From these results, the optical NEP was calculated to be around $1 \times 10^{-15}$ W$ / $Hz$^{1/2}$. A factor of 10 improvement is expected to be readily feasible by improvements in the detector materials and reduction of performance-degrading spurious radiation.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2010

Minimal resonator loss for circuit quantum electrodynamics

Single photon level quality factors of 500x10^3 are shown in NbTiN superconducting resonators at millikelvin temperatures. This result originates from the intrinsic low dielectric loss of NbTiN, as demonstrated by comparison with Ta, and by removing unnecessary parts of the dielectric substrate.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2009

FFTS readout for large arrays of Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors

Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors (MKIDs) have great potential for large very sensitive detector arrays for use in, for example, sub-mm imaging. Being intrinsically readout in the frequency domain, they are particularly suited for frequency domain multiplexing allowing $\sim$1000s of devices to be readout with one pair of coaxial cables. However, this moves the complexity of the detector from the cryogenics to the warm electronics. We present here the concept and experimental demonstration of the use of Fast Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FFTS) readout, showing no deterioration of the noise performance compared to low noise analog mixing while allowing high multiplexing ratios.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2008

Enhancement of quasiparticle recombination in Ta and Al superconductors by implantation of magnetic and nonmagnetic atoms

The quasiparticle recombination time in superconducting films, consisting of the standard electron-phonon interaction and a yet to be identified low temperature process, is studied for different densities of magnetic and nonmagnetic atoms. For both Ta and Al, implanted with Mn, Ta and Al, we observe an increase of the recombination rate. We conclude that the enhancement of recombination is not due to the magnetic moment, but arises from an enhancement of disorder.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Quasiparticle relaxation in optically excited high-Q superconducting resonators

The quasiparticle relaxation time in superconducting films has been measured as a function of temperature using the response of the complex conductivity to photon flux. For tantalum and aluminium, chosen for their difference in electron-phonon coupling strength, we find that at high temperatures the relaxation time increases with decreasing temperature, as expected for electron-phonon interaction. At low temperatures we find in both superconducting materials a saturation of the relaxation time, suggesting the presence of a second relaxation channel not due to electron-phonon interaction.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2008

Contribution of dielectrics to frequency and noise of NbTiN superconducting resonators

We study NbTiN resonators by measurements of the temperature dependent resonance frequency and frequency noise. Additionally, resonators are studied covered with SiOx dielectric layers of various thicknesses. The resonance frequency develops a non-monotonic temperature dependence with increasing SiOx layer thickness. The increase in the noise is independent of the SiOx thickness, demonstrating that the noise is not dominantly related to the low temperature resonance frequency deviations.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2006

Superconductivity induced by spark erosion in ZrZn2

We show that the superconductivity observed recently in the weak itinerant ferromagnet ZrZn2 [C. Pfleiderer et al., Nature (London) 412, 58 (2001)] is due to remnants of a superconducting layer induced by spark erosion. Results of resistivity, susceptibility, specific heat and surface analysis measurements on high-quality ZrZn2 crystals show that cutting by spark erosion leaves a superconducting surface layer. The resistive superconducting transition is destroyed by chemically etching a layer of 5 microns from the sample. No signature of superconductivity is observed in rho(T) of etched samples at the lowest current density measured, J=675 Am-2, and at T < 45 mK. EDX analysis shows that spark-eroded surfaces are strongly Zn depleted. The simplest explanation of our results is that the superconductivity results from an alloy with higher Zr content than ZrZn2.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2005

Ferromagnetic Properties of ZrZn$_2$

The low Curie temperature (T_C approx 28K) and small ordered moment (M_0 approx 0.17 mu_B f.u.^-1) of ZrZn2 make it one of the few examples of a weak itinerant ferromagnet. We report results of susceptibility, magnetization, resistivity and specific heat measurements made on high-quality single crystals of ZrZn2. From magnetization scaling in the vicinity of T_C (0.001<|T-T_C|/T_C<0.08), we obtain the critical exponents beta=0.52+/-0.05 and delta=3.20+/-0.08, and T_C=27.50+/-0.05K. Low-temperature magnetization measurements show that the easy axis is [111]. Resistivity measurements reveal an anomaly at T_C and a non-Fermi liquid temperature dependence rho(T)=rho_0+AT^n, where n=1.67+/-0.02, for 1<T<14K. The specific heat measurements show a mean-field-like anomaly at T_C. We compare our results to various theoretical models.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2002

The ground state of heavily-overdoped non-superconducting La$_{2-x}$Sr$_x$CuO$_4$

We report detailed thermodynamic and transport measurements for non-superconducting La$_{1.7}$Sr$_{0.3}$CuO$_4$. Collectively, these data reveal that a highly-correlated Fermi-liquid ground state exists in La$_{2-x}$Sr$_x$CuO$_4$ beyond the superconducting dome, and confirm that charge transport in the cuprates is dominated at finite temperatures by intense electron-electron scattering.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2002

Heavy quasiparticles in the ferromagnetic superconductor ZrZn2

We report a study of the de Haas-van Alphen effect in the normal state of the ferromagnetic superconductor ZrZn2. Our results are generally consistent with an LMTO band structure calculation which predicts four exchange-split Fermi surface sheets. Quasiparticle effective masses are enhanced by a factor of about 4.9 implying a strong coupling to magnetic excitations or phonons. Our measurements provide insight in to the mechanism for superconductivity and unusual thermodynamic properties of ZrZn2.

cond-mat.supr-con↗