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Published on: June 9, 2016
Initial test results on bolometers for the Planck high frequency instrument
Warren A Holmes1, James J Bock, Brendan P Crill
1Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Dr., Pasadena, California 91109, USA. Warren.A.Holmes@jpl.nasa.gov
Applied Optics
|November 13, 2008
Summary
The High Frequency Instrument (HFI) for the Herschel/Planck mission features 52 sensitive bolometers. These detectors meet stringent performance requirements for cosmic microwave background measurements.
Area of Science:
- Astrophysics
- Cosmology
- Instrument Science
Background:
- The Herschel/Planck mission aims to study the early universe.
- The High Frequency Instrument (HFI) is crucial for detecting faint cosmic signals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To detail the fabrication, flight qualification, and performance of bolometers for the HFI.
- To ensure the detectors meet mission requirements for sensitivity and speed.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication and rigorous testing of 52 specialized bolometers.
- Characterization of detector performance, including noise equivalent power (NEP) and time constants.
- Integration of bolometers with feedhorn-filter assemblies for specific frequency bands (100-857 GHz).
Main Results:
- All detectors achieved noise equivalent power (NEP) at or below the background limit.
- Short time constants (a few milliseconds) enable resolution of point sources.
- Detectors are designed to measure total intensity and polarization (Stokes parameters Q and U).
Conclusions:
- The developed bolometers are flight-qualified and exhibit excellent dark performance.
- The HFI bolometer array meets the demanding requirements for the Herschel/Planck mission.
- The instrument is ready for launch and will provide crucial data for cosmological studies.
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