Ghassan Yassin

HARP/ACSIS: a submillimetre spectral imaging system on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope

This paper describes a new Heterodyne Array Receiver Programme (HARP) and AutoCorrelation Spectral Imaging System (ACSIS) that have recently been installed and commissioned on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT). The 16-element focal-plane array receiver, operating in the submillimetre from 325 to 375 GHz, offers high (three-dimensional) mapping speeds, along with significant improvements over single-detector counterparts in calibration and image quality. Receiver temperatures are 120 K across the whole band and system temperatures of 300K are reached routinely under good weather conditions. The system includes a single-sideband filter so these are SSB figures. Used in conjunction with ACSIS, the system can produce large-scale maps rapidly, in one or more frequency settings, at high spatial and spectral resolution. Fully-sampled maps of size 1 square degree can be observed in under 1 hour. The scientific need for array receivers arises from the requirement for programmes to study samples of objects of statistically significant size, in large-scale unbiased surveys of galactic and extra-galactic regions. Along with morphological information, the new spectral imaging system can be used to study the physical and chemical properties of regions of interest. Its three-dimensional imaging capabilities are critical for research into turbulence and dynamics. In addition, HARP/ACSIS will provide highly complementary science programmes to wide-field continuum studies, and produce the essential preparatory work for submillimetre interferometers such as the SMA and ALMA.

Experimental Investigation of a Low-Cost, High Performance Focal-Plane Horn Array

In previous work, we have described novel smooth-walled multiple flare-angle horns designed using a genetic algorithm. A key feature of these horns is that they can be manufactured very rapidly and cheaply in large numbers, by repeated direct drilling into a single plate of aluminum using a shaped machine tool. The rapid manufacturing technique will enable the construction of very low cost focal-plane arrays, offering an alternative to conventional electroformed corrugated horn arrays. In order to experimentally demonstrate the new technology, we constructed a 230 GHz focal-plane array comprising 37 smooth- walled horns fabricated by direct drilling. We present the measured beam patterns for a large sample of these horns across the array, demonstrating the suitability of our manufacturing techniques for large format arrays. We have measured the cross coupling between adjacent feeds and have shown that it is negligible. We also present high quality beam patterns measured for a much smaller 700 GHz horn, showing the promise of the extending this technology to THz frequencies.

A FULL-HEIGHT WAVEGUIDE TO THIN-FILM MICROSTRIP TRANSITION WITH EXCEPTIONAL RF BANDWIDTH AND COUPLING EFFICIENCY

We describe a waveguide to thin-film microstrip transition for high-performance submillimetre wave and teraherz applications. The proposed constant-radius probe couples thin-film microstrip line, to full-height rectangular waveguide with better than 99% efficiency (VSWR ≤ 1.20) and 45% fractional bandwidth. Extensive HFSS simulations, backed by scale-model measurements, are presented in the paper. By selecting the substrate material and probe radius, any real impedance between ≈ 15-60 Ω can be achieved. The radial probe gives significantly improved performance over other designs discussed in the literature. Although our primary application is submillimetre wave superconducting mixers, we show that membrane techniques should allow broad-band waveguide components to be constructed for the THz frequency range.

Compact broadband planar orthomode transducer

The design and test results of a compact C-band orthomode transducer are presented. The transducer comprises four rectangular probes orthogonally arranged in a circular waveguide, designed to work in the WG13 band. Measurements of the system in the frequency range 4.64–7.05 GHz agree very well with simulation results and show a cross-polarisation level below −58 dB, a return loss of about −20 dB, and an insertion loss difference of less than 0.18 dB between the orthogonal polarisation modes across the full waveguide band.

Analytical expression for the input impedance of a microstrip probe in waveguide

We present a closed-form expression for the the input impedance of a microstrip probe in a rectangular waveguide. The probe extends only part way across the waveguide and is therefore compatible with RF components that require an open circuit at low frequencies. Our analysis is based on the spectral-domain method and is able to take into account the orientation of the antenna with respect to the direction of propagation. We have examined the validity of our model by carrying out extensive impedance measurements at 5GHz. In those cases where the probe did not extend more than half way across the waveguide, excellent agreement was obtained. We show that the bandwidth of a probe that stretches only part way cross the waveguide is very much greater than the bandwidth of a probe that stretches all of the way across the waveguide and that is earthed at both ends. Moreover, the input resistance is lower and more suited to submillimetre-wave detectors such as SIS tunnel junctions. Our expression suggests that it should be possible to develop low-impedance, wideband probes for nearlydouble-height waveguide, and this implies that the upper frequency limit to which probes and waveguides can be manufactured can be extended well into the THz frequency range. A related, and often neglected consideration, is that the ohmic loss associated with an oversized waveguide is very much smaller than the ohmic loss associated with a reduced-height waveguide.

Multiple flare-angle horn feeds for sub-mm astronomy and cosmic microwave background experiments

Context. The use of large-format focal plane imaging arrays employing multiple feed horns is becoming increasingly important for the next generation of single dish sub-mm telescopes and cosmology experiments. Such receivers are being commissioned on both general purpose, common user telescopes and telescopes specifically designed for mapping intensity and polarisation anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background (CMB). Telescopes are currently being constructed to map the CMB polarisation that employ hundreds of feeds and the cost of manufacturing these feeds has become a significant fraction of the total cost of the telescope. Aims. We have developed and manufactured low-cost easy-to-machine smooth-walled horns that have a performance comparable to the more traditional corrugated feed horns that are often used in focal plane arrays. Our horns are much easier to fabricate than corrugated horns enabling the rapid construction of arrays with a large number of horns at a very low cost. Methods. Our smooth walled horns use multiple changes in flare angle to excite higher order waveguide modes. They are designed using a genetic algorithm to optimise the positions and magnitudes of these flare angle discontinuities. We have developed a fully parallelised software suite for the optimisation of these horns. We have manufactured prototype horns by traditional electroforming and also by a new direct drilling technique and we have measured their beam patterns using a far-field antenna test range at 230 GHz. Results. We present simulated and measured far-field beam patterns for one of our horn designs. They exhibit low sidelobe levels, good beam circularity and low cross-polarisation levels over a fractional bandwidth of 20%. These results offer experimental confirmation of our design technique, allowing us to proceed confidently in the optimisation of horns with a wider operational bandwidth. The results also show that the new manufacturing technique using drilling is successful, enabling the fabrication of large format arrays by repeatedly drilling into a single aluminium plate. This will enable the construction of focal plane arrays at a very low cost per horn. Conclusions. We have developed a new type of high performance feed horn that is fast and easy to fabricate. Having demonstrated the efficacy of our horn designs experimentally, we are building and testing a prototype focal plane array of 37 hexagonally close packed horns. This prototype array will be an important step towards building a complete CMB mapping receiver using these feed horns.

Power coupled between partially coherent vector fields in different states of coherence

A procedure is described for calculating the power coupled between collimated, partially coherent vector fields that are in different states of coherence. This topic is of considerable importance in designing submillimeter-wave optical systems for astronomy. It is shown that if the incoming field S has coherence matrix A, and the outgoing field D has coherence matrix B, then the power coupled is simply Ps = Tr(ATBT), where the elements of T project the basis functions of B onto those of A. A similar technique can be used to calculate the power coupled from the background of S to D. The scheme is illustrated by calculating the power coupled between two scalar, Gaussian Schell-model beams. The procedure can be incorporated into optical design software.

Theoretical analysis of planar bolometric arrays for THz imaging systems

We describe a procedure for modeling the optical behaviour of planar, bolometric imaging arrays. Arrays of this kind are being developed for the next generation of ground-based and space-borne, submillimetre-wave and far-infrared, astronomical telescopes. A unique feature of the scheme is that the partially coherent vector fields associated with the individual pixels are traced through the optical system simultaneously. Simultaneous tracing is achieved by propagating the second-order statistical properties of the total field. In the paper, we describe the theoretical basis of our method, and present the results of a number of illustrative simulations.

A 700-GHz SIS antipodal finline mixer fed by a Pickett-Potter horn-reflector antenna

We report the successful operation of a superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) finline mixer operating near the superconducting energy gap of Nb. The mixer employs a new type of Pickett-Potter horn-reflector (PPHR) antenna, which exhibits low sidelobes and low cross-polarization levels, and yet is easy to fabricate. The SIS tunnel junction and all of the integrated superconducting tuning circuits are fabricated from Nb using planar-circuit technology. The mixer employs an antipodal finline section, deposited on one side of a quartz substrate, which transforms the high impedance of the waveguide (/spl ap/300 /spl Omega/) to the low impedance of the microstrip line (/spl ap/20 /spl Omega/). The Nb/Al-oxide/Nb tunnel junction is fabricated at the same time as the finline circuit. In this paper, we describe the design and testing of the mixer, and pay particular attention to the electromagnetic design of the PPHR antenna. We investigate the noise temperature and gain of the mixer over 642-714 GHz, and analyze the experimental results using rigorous theories that were developed specifically for the purpose. Our investigation demonstrates that finline mixers have good performance both below and above the superconducting energy gap.

Multitone quantum simulations of saturating tunnel junction mixers

When designing instruments for submillimeter-wave astronomy it is important to understand precisely how saturating superconducting tunnel-junction mixers behave. In this article, a procedure is described for calculating the behavior of tunnel-junction circuits when multitone high-level signals are applied. The procedure is based on a full quantum-mechanical description of photon-assisted tunneling, and uses Harmonic Newton to search for a set of voltages and currents that satisfy the circuit equations at every frequency present. A number of illustrative simulations are presented, and it is shown that Harmonic Newton can be used to model saturating superconductor–insulator–superconductor mixers in a robust and numerically efficient manner.