Demonstration of a Generic Local Oscillator System for ALMA Band 2+3

阿塔卡马大毫米/亚毫米阵列(ALMA)是一个在毫米和亚毫米波长范围内运行的世界级天文天文台。它为天文学家提供了前所未有的空间分辨率和灵敏度的观测工具。ALMA将允许研究与恒星和行星形成相关的基本过程，以及星系和星系外的演化，彻底改变我们对宇宙演化的理解。英国科学和技术设施理事会(STFC)长期以来一直认识到ALMA在其战略科学计划中的重要性，并通过其成员资格和对欧洲南方天文台(ESO)的支持来支持ALMA的发展和建设。欧洲南方天文台在欧洲提供ALMA项目的领导。ALMA现在是一个功能工具，正在提供高水平的科学。然而，它并不完整，需要进行重要的技术升级，才能充分发挥其最初计划的潜力。例如，尽管阵列的主要生产阶段已经成功完成，科学回归已经开始，但ALMA目前缺乏其拟议的全频率覆盖，这限制了其观测能力。通过欧洲南方天文台(ESO)之前授予英国的一笔赠款，曼彻斯特大学在新的ALMA接收器频段的概念开发阶段领导了一个欧洲财团设计研究小组，该接收器频段既将阵列的运行频率扩展到包括频带2，并通过同时合并现有的频带3来提高运行效率。新的接收器频段目前被指定为频带2+3，本提案的目标是开发关键和相关的频带2+3系统技术，为实现其作为新的ALMA探测设施迈出关键的一步。因此，我们正在寻求项目研究和开发(PRD)的资源，以支持一项为期21个月的技术开发活动，该活动将通过核心技术的制造和测试，为新的2+3频带奠定基础。一种新的通用本振(LO)。在我们的项目过程中，我们还将演示增强型低噪声放大器(LNA)技术，并证明相关的关键信号频率混频下变频阶段。因此，我们工作方案的一个核心目标是确保2+3带作为一个技术概念被ALMA项目采纳，方法是将其技术准备状态从目前的3级提高到接近6级的高得多的水平。随后将在10年内完成由欧洲安全监督组织资助的原型和部署阶段。我们的活动将意味着ALMA获得更多的观测能力和改进的运营基础设施；ESO处于一个极好的位置，可以在国际ALMA项目中领导新的接收器概念，英国将确保在未来的原型和全面生产计划中获得领先的技术角色，这也为英国工业的重大参与提供了极好的潜力。

The Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array (ALMA) is a world-class astronomical observatory operating in the millimetre and submillimetre wavelength range. It provides astronomers with an observing tool of unprecedented spatial resolution and sensitivity. ALMA will allow investigation of fundamental process associated with stellar and planetary formation, and galactic and extra-galactic evolution, revolutionising our understanding of how the Universe evolves. The UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) has long recognised the importance of ALMA within its strategic science plan, and has supported its development and construction through its membership of, and support for, the European Southern Observatory (ESO), which provides leadership of the ALMA project within Europe.ALMA is now a functional instrument and is delivering high-grade science. However, it is not complete, and important technical upgrades are needed before it can reach its full, and originally planned, potential. For example, although the main production phase of the array has been successfully completed, and the return of science has already begun, ALMA presently lacks its proposed full frequency coverage and this is limiting its observational capability. Through a previous grant awarded to the UK by the European Southern Observatory (ESO), the University of Manchester has led a European consortium design study group during the conceptual development phase of a new ALMA receiver band, which both extends the operational frequency of the array to include Band 2, and provides increased operational efficiency through a simultaneous merger with the pre-existing Band 3. The new receiver band is currently designated Band 2+3, and it is the objective of this proposal to develop key and related Band 2+3 systems technology that provide a vital step towards its realisation as a new ALMA detection facility. We are therefore seeking Project Research and Development (PRD) resource to support a 21-month technical development activity that will establish the foundations of the new Band 2+3 through the manufacture and test of core technology, viz. a new and generic local oscillator (LO). During the course of our project, we will also demonstrate enhanced low noise amplifier (LNA) technology and prove a related, and critical, signal frequency mixing down-conversion stage. A core objective of our programme of work is therefore to ensure that Band 2+3 is adopted as a technical concept by the ALMA Project through the raising of its technical readiness status from a current level of 3, to a significantly higher level approaching that of 6. This would be followed by an ESO funded prototyping and deployment phase to be completed within a 10-year timescale. Our activity will mean that ALMA gains increased observational capacity and improved operational infrastructure; ESO is placed in an excellent position to lead the new receiver concept within the international ALMA Project, and the UK is assured of gaining a leading technical role in a future prototype and full production programme, which also offers excellent potential for significant UK industrial involvement.