The Robinson Gravitational Wave Background Telescope (BICEP): a bolometric large angular scale CMB polarimeter

K. W. Yoon; P. A. R. Ade; D. Barkats; J. O. Battle; E. M. Bierman; J. J. Bock; J. A. Brevik; H. C. Chiang; A. Crites; C. D. Dowell; L. Duband; G. S. Griffin; E. F. Hivon; W. L. Holzapfel; V. V. Hristov; B. G. Keating; J. M. Kovac; C. L. Kuo; A. E. Lange; E. M. Leitch; P. V. Mason; H. T. Nguyen; N. Ponthieu; Y. D. Takahashi; T. Renbarger; L. C. Weintraub; D. Woolsey

doi:10.1117/12.672652

27 June 2006 The Robinson Gravitational Wave Background Telescope (BICEP): a bolometric large angular scale CMB polarimeter

K. W. Yoon, P. A. R. Ade, D. Barkats, J. O. Battle, E. M. Bierman, J. J. Bock, J. A. Brevik, H. C. Chiang, A. Crites, C. D. Dowell, L. Duband, G. S. Griffin, E. F. Hivon, W. L. Holzapfel, V. V. Hristov, B. G. Keating, J. M. Kovac, C. L. Kuo, A. E. Lange, E. M. Leitch, P. V. Mason, H. T. Nguyen, N. Ponthieu, Y. D. Takahashi, T. Renbarger, L. C. Weintraub, D. Woolsey

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 6275, Millimeter and Submillimeter Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy III; 62751K (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.672652
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2006, Orlando, Florida , United States

Abstract

The Robinson Telescope (BICEP) is a ground-based millimeter-wave bolometric array designed to study the polarization of the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB) and galactic foreground emission. Such measurements probe the energy scale of the inflationary epoch, tighten constraints on cosmological parameters, and verify our current understanding of CMB physics. Robinson consists of a 250-mm aperture refractive telescope that provides an instantaneous field-of-view of 17° with angular resolution of 55' and 37' at 100 GHz and 150 GHz, respectively. Forty-nine pair of polarization-sensitive bolometers are cooled to 250 mK using a ⁴He/³He/³He sorption fridge system, and coupled to incoming radiation via corrugated feed horns. The all-refractive optics is cooled to 4 K to minimize polarization systematics and instrument loading. The fully steerable 3-axis mount is capable of continuous boresight rotation or azimuth scanning at speeds up to 5 deg/s. Robinson has begun its first season of observation at the South Pole. Given the measured performance of the instrument along with the excellent observing environment, Robinson will measure the E-mode polarization with high sensitivity, and probe for the B-modes to unprecedented depths. In this paper we discuss aspects of the instrument design and their scientific motivations, scanning and operational strategies, and the results of initial testing and observations.

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K. W. Yoon, P. A. R. Ade, D. Barkats, J. O. Battle, E. M. Bierman, J. J. Bock, J. A. Brevik, H. C. Chiang, A. Crites, C. D. Dowell, L. Duband, G. S. Griffin, E. F. Hivon, W. L. Holzapfel, V. V. Hristov, B. G. Keating, J. M. Kovac, C. L. Kuo, A. E. Lange, E. M. Leitch, P. V. Mason, H. T. Nguyen, N. Ponthieu, Y. D. Takahashi, T. Renbarger, L. C. Weintraub, and D. Woolsey "The Robinson Gravitational Wave Background Telescope (BICEP): a bolometric large angular scale CMB polarimeter", Proc. SPIE 6275, Millimeter and Submillimeter Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy III, 62751K (27 June 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.672652

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