QSHS Fast Oscilloscope for Time-domain Diagnostics (QFOT)

QSHS项目有资金建造和运行波状暗物质探测器，如轴子，如果它存在，可能占星系物质的90%，占宇宙总能量的26% ！这些探测器本质上是非常低噪音的无线电接收器，与共振电磁腔相连，有时被强磁场缠绕（例如，如果我们在寻找轴子）。低噪声是通过使用世界上最好的放大器来实现的，我们的团队正在开发其他地方，以及其他电子元件，以确保放大器输出达到室温计算机，分析数据而不会被电磁噪声扭曲或遮挡。通过在一个非常低的物理温度下（比绝对零度高百分之一摄氏度）进行实验，使噪音降到最低。这是使用稀释冰箱实现的。在我们的设备中出现的信号是高频无线电，在这种情况下很难测量信号并将其显示在图表上。相反，通常所做的是测量无线电的输出，但这只是信号与时间关系图所呈现的全部图像的一部分。为了从我们的设备中得到这张图，我们可以使用一个示波器，以足够快的速度获取数据，并有足够的时间来观察我们的设备对通常会产生的微小信号的响应，这些信号被称为单量子。有必要的电子设备来观察这些快速的微小信号的示波器是昂贵的。我们正在要求这样一个示波器，但我们知道价格标签很高（太高了，我们无法将其包含在我们最初向STFC投标的QSHS项目中）。因此，我们已经设法让LeCroy，一个主要供应商为这种示波器，给我们一个非常好的交易在一个合适的单位。它将折扣价为标价的34%，不含增值税的价格接近6万英镑。这代表了超值的投资，为资助的QSHS项目增加了关键的诊断能力。此外，所要求的示波器实际上超出了我们的规格，具有14GHz的带宽，超过了我们研究所需的带宽。QSHS的一个主要部分是测试极低噪音电子产品，这些电子产品是由与我们合作开发的QSHS设备。我们打算让团队带着全套设备和辅助测试设备出现在谢菲尔德实验室，以便在我们的设备上进行评估，并可能用于寻找暗物质。一套完整的本地诊断设备，包括一个快速示波器，在将现场购买的设备与我们的设施集成时非常有用，这样我们就可以最大限度地从已安装的设备中受益。总之，所要求的设备将最大限度地提高现有stfc资助的设施的科学产出，并且从拟议的供应商处获得非常划算的价格。因此，这是对提出这项请求的设备基金的一流使用。

The QSHS project has funding to build and operate detectors for wave-like dark matter, such as axions, that, if it exists, might make up 90% of the matter in galaxies and 26% of the full energy content of the Universe! These detectors are essentially very low noise radio receivers coupled to resonant electromagnetic cavities, sometimes threaded by intense magnetic fields (if we're looking for axions, for example). Low noise is achieved by using the worlds best amplifiers, under development in our group amongst other places, and other electronics elements, to ensure the amplifier output reaches the room temperature computers that analyse the data without being distorted or obscured by electromagnetic noise. Noise is minimised by operating the experiment at a very low physical temperature, one hundredth of a degree centigrade above absolute zero. This is achieved using a dilution refrigerator.The signal that appears in our apparatus is in the high frequency radio, a regime where it is hard to actually measure the signal and display it on a graph. Instead, what is usually done is to measure the output of the radio, but this is only part of the full picture presented by a graph of signal versus time. To get this graph out of our apparatus, we could use an oscilloscope sufficiently fast to acquire the data for enough time to observe the response of our apparatus to the tiny signals that it will typically produce, called single quanta. Oscilloscopes having the required electronics to observe these fast tiny signals are expensive items. We are requesting such an oscilloscope, but we are aware that the price tag is high (too high for us to include it in our original bid to STFC for the QSHS project). So, we have managed to get LeCroy, a primary vendor for such oscilloscopes, to give us a very good deal on a suitable unit. It would be discounted to 34% of the list price, and cost just shy of £60k excluding VAT. This represents exceptional value for money, adding a crucial diagnostic capability to the funded QSHS project. Furthermore, the requested oscilloscope actually exceeds our specification, having 14GHz of bandwidth, more than what we need for our research.A major part of QSHS is the testing of very low noise electronics developed by groups collaborating with us in the QSHS apparatus. We intend that groups will show up at the Sheffield facility with a full suite of devices and auxiliary test equipment to bolt to our apparatus for evaluation and possible use in searches for dark matter. A full suite of local diagnostic equipment, including a fast oscilloscope, will be very useful in integrating equipment that is bought on site with our facility so that we can benefit maximally from the equipment that has been installed. In summary, the requested equipment will maximise the science output from an existing STFC-funded facility at a very good value price from the proposed vendor. As such this is a first-class use of the equipment fund to which this request is submitted.