The millimeter-wave bolometric interferometer (MBI)

Gregory S. Tucker; Andrei L. Korotkov; Amanda C. Gault; Peter O. Hyland; Siddharth Malu; Peter T. Timbie; Emory F. Bunn; Brian G. Keating; Evan Bierman; Créidhe O'Sullivan; Peter A. R. Ade; Lucio Piccirillo

doi:10.1117/12.788463

18 July 2008 The millimeter-wave bolometric interferometer (MBI)

Gregory S. Tucker, Andrei L. Korotkov, Amanda C. Gault, Peter O. Hyland, Siddharth Malu, Peter T. Timbie, Emory F. Bunn, Brian G. Keating, Evan Bierman, Créidhe O'Sullivan, Peter A. R. Ade, Lucio Piccirillo

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 7020, Millimeter and Submillimeter Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IV; 70201M (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.788463
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2008, Marseille, France

Abstract

We report on the design and tests of a prototype of the Millimeter-wave Bolometric Interferometer (MBI). MBI is designed to make sensitive measurements of the polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). It combines the differencing capabilities of an interferometer with the high sensitivity of bolometers at millimeter wavelengths. The prototype, which we call MBI-4, views the sky directly through four corrugated horn antennas. MBI ultimately will have ~ 1000 antennas. These antennas have low sidelobes and nearly symmetric beam patterns, so spurious instrumental polarization from reflective optics is avoided. The MBI-4 optical band is defined by filters with a central frequency of 90 GHz. The set of baselines, determined by placement of the four antennas, results in sensitivity to CMB polarization fluctuations over the multipole range ℓ = 150 - 270. The signals are combined with a Fizeau beam combiner and interference fringes are detected by an array of spider-web bolometers. In order to separate the visibility signals from the total power detected by each bolometer, the phase of the signal from each antenna is modulated by a ferrite-based waveguide phase shifter. Initial tests and observations have been made at Pine Bluff Observatory (PBO) outside Madison, WI.

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Gregory S. Tucker, Andrei L. Korotkov, Amanda C. Gault, Peter O. Hyland, Siddharth Malu, Peter T. Timbie, Emory F. Bunn, Brian G. Keating, Evan Bierman, Créidhe O'Sullivan, Peter A. R. Ade, and Lucio Piccirillo "The millimeter-wave bolometric interferometer (MBI)", Proc. SPIE 7020, Millimeter and Submillimeter Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IV, 70201M (18 July 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.788463

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