Modelling, development and characterisation of Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors for optical astronomy
Citation:
De Lucia, Mario, Modelling, development and characterisation of Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors for optical astronomy, Trinity College Dublin.School of Physics, 2022Download Item:
Mario_De_Lucia___PhD_Thesis-3.pdf (Thesis) 42.83Mb
Abstract:
In this thesis I report on the research I carried out on the topic of Microwave Kinetic
Inductance Detectors (MKIDs) over the last four years.
After an introduction chapter and a literature review on MKIDs, Chapter 3 describes
the work carried out during the commissioning of a cryogenic laboratory in DIAS.
Here, I introduce the primary equipment that was used, including the cryostat and
it’s electronics, alongside some custom-made parts which I designed, such as the
sample boxes for the MKIDs. The fourth chapter includes a description of the two
pieces of LabVIEW software that I have developed. The first enables the interfacing
of a computer with a resistance bridge in order to perform critical temperature
measurements. The second is used to control a monochromator that, along with other
sources, was used to illuminate the detectors and to perform optical characterisation
of ARIEL dichroics. The two subsequent chapters describe the full development
process of an MKIDs array, from the design and simulation of an array (Chapter 5)
to the cleanroom fabrication process that I developed (Chapter 6). In Chapter 7, I
discuss the importance of understanding and simulating the behaviour and
performance of MKIDs in terms of fabrication yield and energy resolution. Chapter 8
addresses the issue of improving the fabrication yield; I propose the DC-bias of
selected resonators to re-tune their resonant frequency and achieve an overall 12.5%
improvement in fabrication yield. I present a feasibility study, published an SPIE
proceedings, and suggest a possible design to reach an 87.5% yield. Chapter 9 details
the characterisation process and results of two developed MKID arrays. I also
describe the first detector which was capable of producing a detectable pulse when
illuminated. It was used as a proof of concept and it exhibits moderate resolving
power in the order R ∼ 2 − 3 in the optical and near-infrared. I Chapter 10
summarises the main results of the experimental research that I have carried out
during this PhD. Chapter 11 presents a literature review on the application of
MKIDs outside visible and near-infrared astronomy and discusses where else the work
presented in this thesis could be applicable; this study forms the basis of a review
paper published by the DIAS MKIDs group. Finally, Chapter 12 presents further
work that will be conducted at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies alongside
possible technological improvements on Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors.
In the appendices, the reader can find further details on the experimental setup, the
derivation of some equations used in the body of the text and some further discussion
on the noise performance of the MKIDs. In Appendix A1, the reader can also find a
side project I undertook, which is the optical characterisation of the D-3 dichroic for
the Ariel telescope.
Sponsor
Grant Number
Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)
Author's Homepage:
https://tcdlocalportal.tcd.ie/pls/EnterApex/f?p=800:71:0::::P71_USERNAME:DELUCIAMDescription:
APPROVED
Author: De Lucia, Mario
Advisor:
Ray, TomPublisher:
Trinity College Dublin. School of Physics. Discipline of PhysicsType of material:
ThesisAvailability:
Full text availableKeywords:
Microave Kinetic Inductance Detectors, MKIDsLicences: