Collaborative Research: Demonstration of Superspec: a Superconducting On-Chip Spectrometer for mm and submm Wavelength Astrophysics

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Much of the critical information needed to piece together the puzzles of modern astronomy research is carried by wavelengths of light invisible to the human eye, such as the long wavelength radio waves and the very short wavelength ultraviolet. Building instrumentation to see what the human eye cannot is essential to science. This project aims to develop instruments sensitive to the submillimeter range of the light spectrum, shorter in wavelength than radio waves, but longer than the optical light to which the human eye is sensitive. The investigators indeed set themselves the very ambitious goal of building a complete spectrograph, or detector system, capable of quantitatively measuring wavelength components of submillimeter radiation, on a single chip made by techniques similar to those used to make microscopic electronic integrated circuits.The detectors used in this effort are classic, low-temperature superconductors, configured as bolometric sensors. In particular, this investigation will make use of Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KIDs) made of titanium nitride (TiN), a relatively mature material system and detector design that calls for relatively relaxed line rules. When devices are ready, they will be deployed on an instrument taken to a telescope. Demonstration observations will target distant dusty galaxies. Longer term, the technology to be pioneered here will enable Integral Field Unit instrumentation featuring 2D arrays of spectrometers, a powerful tool in a broad range of astronomy.These observations should have substantial broader impacts as a technology pathfinder in an exciting new direction in submillimeter instrumentation. The planned training of younger scientists, and the public outreach activities of the senior personnel, will help to communicate this excitement to the profession and the general public.Funding for this project is being provided by NSF's Division of Astronomical Sciences through its Advanced Technologies and Instrumentation program.