An Integrated Programme of Technology for the Next Generation of Astronomical Instrumentation
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Manchester
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
Over the last 75 years, radio astronomy has played a leading discovery role in astrophysics and cosmology. On four separate occasions the Nobel Prize has been awarded to radio astronomers. Innovations in technology have been central to this success. The continuous development of novel detector devices, innovative instrument design and their combination has produced instruments capable of panoramic multi-frequency views of the sky and also of very precise measurements of individual objects. Receiver systems of ever-greater scale, complexity and technical sophistication are now demanded and observations will increasingly be carried out on remote desert sites, on very high altitude sites (including balloons) and in space. The world-leading instruments of tomorrow can only be designed in earnest once the physics and characteristics of core devices and sub-systems have been understood. This is the basis of the proposal. To take a lead it is important to anticipate and be proactive. A world-leading technology team must therefore be innovative, multi-skilled and cooperate freely with external partners with complementary talents. There are few institutions well-poised to be in the vanguard, but Manchester is one-as such it can play a leading role in ensuring UK astronomers' access to the next generation of cutting-edge instrumentation. At long wavelengths the dominant telescopes will be Five-hundred-metre Aperture Spherical Telescope in China (with which Manchester has a joint R&D programme) followed by the Square Kilometre Array. Our response for the latter has been to assemble the SKADS team (with Oxford and Cambridge as UK partners and ASTRON as the principal European partner) as a multidisciplinary partnership of radio astronomers, radio engineers and semiconductor device experts. At cm- to sub-mm wavelengths, a multiplicity of instruments will be required and so this proposal involves a coherent technology R&D programme covering both the overall design of astronomically well-motivated types of receiver array, together with the production and testing of devices and sub-systems required to deliver them. The linkage of basic research with the wider economy is now an integral part of the remit of STFC. We share this ethos since industrial links can not only bring in new ideas and expertise but also release funds from knowledge transfer, licensing and spin-offs which can benefit the pure science programme.
Publications
Zemcov M
(2010)
CHARACTERIZATION OF THE MILLIMETER-WAVE POLARIZATION OF CENTAURUS A WITH QUaD
in The Astrophysical Journal
Rubiño-Martín J
(2010)
Highlights of Spanish Astrophysics V
Melhuish S
(2013)
A tiltable single-shot miniature dilution refrigerator for astrophysical applications
in Cryogenics
Hoyland R
(2012)
The status of the QUIJOTE multi-frequency instrument
Hafez Y
(2014)
A radio determination of the time of the New Moon
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Gomez A
(2010)
QUIJOTE telescope design and fabrication
Ghribi A
(2013)
Latest Progress on the QUBIC Instrument
in Journal of Low Temperature Physics
Du Henry H.
(2012)
Fiber Optic Sensors and Applications IX
in Fiber Optic Sensors and Applications IX
De Bernardis P
(2012)
SWIPE: a bolometric polarimeter for the Large-Scale Polarization Explorer
Description | New cryogenic systems and sub-systems for cooling detectors to sub-K temperatures. New RF passive waveguide components - horns and OMTs. New study of cryogenic LNA between 5 and 30 GHz. |
Exploitation Route | All current and future experiments using coherent or incoherent mm and sub-mm detectors will find our technologies to improve the performances of their instrumentation. |
Sectors | Education Electronics |
Description | This grant was intended to develop a wide range of technologies to be implemented in future astronomical instrumentation. Several technologies developed in this grant - especially microwave and cryogenics - are currently used by several experiments. |
First Year Of Impact | 2008 |
Sector | Education,Electronics |
Impact Types | Cultural Societal |
Description | third regional conference research and innovation in Sardinia (Italy) |
Geographic Reach | Asia |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Title | Miniature refrigerators for astrophysics |
Description | We developed novel sub-K refrigerators to be used in astrophysics research |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Year Produced | 2010 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Generated interest in many other research groups in the world willing to collaborate with us. It ius a very cost effective way to participate in international collaborations |
Title | Remote Cryogenic Thermometry Readout |
Description | We have developed a data handling software for remotely control cryogenic receivers on remote telescopes (e.g. Antarctica() |
Type Of Material | Data handling & control |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | System has been developed by industry (QMC Instruments) for commercial applications |
Description | Cambridge |
Organisation | University of Cambridge |
Department | Department of Physics |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Design of cryogenics and optics for the CLOVER project |
Collaborator Contribution | TES detector development |
Impact | Several publications on CLOVER technology |
Description | Oxford |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | Department of Physics |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Partner in the CLOVER project - we contributed the cryogenics, optics and electronics. |
Collaborator Contribution | RF design |
Impact | Several publications on CLOVER technology development |
Title | high aspect ratio e-beam resist |
Description | A novel e-beam resist has been developed capable of achieving very high aspect ratios. This novel resist is called SML resist and it has been licensed for commercialisation to the company EM resist srl. |
IP Reference | |
Protection | Protection not required |
Year Protection Granted | |
Licensed | Yes |
Impact | There is a huge potential market for novel devices that can only be realised by using our high aspect ratio e-beam resist |