Ne
Detection Techniques
Radio/Submm
part of
Groningen University Masters course:
Instrumentation in Astronomy and
Space Research Technology
1-apr-2005
Table of contents
1. Introduction ................................................................................................................ 3
Entry level of the students.............................................................................................. 4
2.Goal ............................................................................................................................. 5
3.Contents ...................................................................................................................... 6
Block 1, Monday 25 April: Radio Telescope systems an overview .............................. 6
Block 2, Monday 2 May: Receiver systems and Antennas ........................................... 6
Block 3, Monday 9 May: Signal transport ..................................................................... 7
Block 4, Wednesday 11 May: Front-ends for submm ................................................... 7
Block 5, Monday 16 May: Amplifiers and IF systems .................................................. 7
Block 6, Wednesday 25 May: Quasi optical systems .................................................... 7
Block 7, Monday 30 May: Phased array systems and Backend detection..................... 7
Block 8, Monday 6 June: RF Electronics, trends in components and MMICs .............. 8
Block 9, Monday 13 June: Practical work at ASTRON (Dwingeloo) ........................... 8
4.Examination ................................................................................................................ 8
5.References ................................................................................................................... 9
6.Text description of the course ................................................................................... 10
Distribution list:
Others:
Group:
Author: J. Simons
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A.J. Boonstra
H.J. Boer
J.G. bij de Vaate
D. Kant
J. Bregman
B. Woestenburg
M. de Vos
A. van Es
R. F. Peletier (Kapteyn inst. RUG)
P R. Wesselius (SRON Gn)
W. Wild (SRON Gn)
Document history
Revision
Date
Chapter / Page
Modification / Change
01
31-jan-2005
-
Creation
02
28-feb-2005
update, formatted document
03
1-maa-2005
04
1-maa-2005
05
21-maa-2005
06
1-apr-2005
update, fill in contents part
update, first feedback from
lecturers
update, feedback from RUG and
lecturers, schedule only mondays
Updated to 4 study points,
9 blocks
1.
Introduction
Series of lectures (32 hours) and exercises (16 hours), part of the Masters Education
‘Advanced Instrumentation and Space Research Technology’.
The weight of this course is 4 study points (ECTS), equivalent to ca. 112 hours of
work.
This course is further described on dr. Peletiers web page:
www.astro.rug.nl/~peletier/TSR.html
.
The lectures are organized by:
dr. Jan Simons
ASTRON, Dwingeloo
telephone: 0521-595 216
e-mail simons@astron.nl
Contact at RUG Kapteyn institute is:
Prof. dr. Reynier F. Peletier
telephone 050-363.6647
room 141
Author: J. Simons
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email peletier@astro.rug.nl
home page: www.astro.rug.nl/~peletier
Lecturers will be:
Bert Woestenburg
Jaap Bregman
Jan Geralt bij de Vaate
Dion Kant
Wim van Cappellen
Jan Simons
Wolfgang Wild (SRON)
A concluding examination will be given, end of June (date to be determined).
Five or six reports of practical work will be requested during the course. The practical
assignments will count in the total result for 50 %.
The lectures will be mainly on Mondays, from 25 April to 13 June 2005, and take
place in room 292 in the Zernike building.
Two lectures on submm will be given on Wednesdays 11 and 25 May.
On 13 June one full day of practical training will be held at ASTRON, Dwingeloo.
The times will be 9:30 to 12:30 for the lectures. (Lecturers will bring their own
laptops.)
Some weeks there will be a practice hour, just after lunch break (13.30 - 14.30). This
is specifically indicated in the program.
One complete day will be organised at ASTRON, Dwingeloo, where, next to college,
some practical exercises will be performed in the field of radio astronomy.
The allotment of lectures to dates is tentative and will probably be adjusted.
At the Rijks Universiteit Groningen (RUG) course information can be found at:
www.astro.rug.nl/~peletier/TSR.html
Technische Sterrenkunde en Ruimtetechnologie:
“Programma Gevorderde Instrumentatie en Ruimteonderzoektechnologie /
Advanced Instrumentation and Space Research Technology”.
From next year this course will be given in a different format as part of the broader
mastervariant Instrumentation and Informatics in Physics, Astronomy and Space
Research, which will replace the variant Advanced Instrumentation and Space
Research Technology. There will be a mandatory course in 'Applied Detection
Techniques', which will comprise subjects in Radio/Submm, Optical, X-ray and
Detection techniques for Particle Physics. A more specialized course on the same
topic will be given every 2 years as well.
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Entry level of the students
The participants have a degree in Physics or Astronomy. This course is part of the
(consecutive) master’s course. The general course program is depicted below:
Contacts at University of Groningen, Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, are:
Prof. R.F. Peletier, Sterrenkunde
(peletier@astro.rug.nl),
Prof. J.M. van der Hulst, Sterrenkunde (vdhulst@astro.rug.nl) of
Dr. H. Hasper, Technische Natuurkunde (h.hasper@phys.rug.nl)
Dr. H. Wörtsche, KVI
(wortche@kvi.nl)
ECTS: European Credit Transfer System: annual norm = 60 study points
(42 weeks of 40 hrs study). 1 study point is equivalent to ca. 28 hrs of study
The weight of this course is ca. 4 study points, equivalent to ca. 110 hours of work.
Period
studypoints
2nd Quarter:
Astronomische Signaalverwerking I 6
3rd Quarter:
Ontwerp van Astr. Ruimtemissies
6
4th Quarter:
==
Detectietechnieken Radio/ Submm 4 <<==
..
2. Goal
Since the experiments by Jansky concerning interference in radio signals by sky noise
in the early 30’s of the last century, Radio Astronomy has played an important role.
The importance of his findings are recognized in the unit of received RF power flux
used in Radio Astronomy, the Jansky Jy (10-26 Wm-2Hz-1) Today Radio Astronomy
uses frequencies ranging from 40 MHz to 10 GHz and Submm range (up to 1.5 THz)
and down to the HF range (about 10 MHz).
In order to understand the problems concerning designing and operating receivers for
radio astronomy knowledge about radio systems and detection principles are
obligatory. This course will give insight in the techniques of radio receiving systems.
Projects in which ASTON participates at this moment are ALMA for the Submm
range and LOFAR. (See also: www.alma.info and www.lofar.nl.) Parts of
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ASTRON’s daily practice shall be used to introduce the students to the concepts
relevant to radio astronomy.
3. Contents
Note on exercises: Where applicable, each theory block will deliver two or three
exercises.
Nr
1
2
3
4
7
8
Date
Monday 25 April
Monday 2 May
Monday 9 May
Wednesday 11
May
Monday 16 May
Wednesday 25
May
Monday 30 May
Monday 6 June
9
Monday 13 June
5
6
Title
Radio Telescope systems an overview
Receiver systems and Antennas
Signal transport
Front-end detectors for submm
lecturer
J. Bregman
B. Woestenburg
D. Kant
SRON
(W. Wild)
B. Woestenburg
SRON
(W. Wild)
D. Kant
J.G. b.d Vaate
Amplifiers and IF systems
Quasi optical systems
Phased array systems and Backend detection
RF Electronics, trends in components and
MMICs
Practical work at ASTRON
J.Simons,
D. Kant
Block 1, Monday 25 April: Radio Telescope systems an overview
- J. Bregman
In this block a complete system overview is given with basic functionality of all major
components.
System breakdown, overview of different systems, different setups (primary/
secondary focus), critical system parameters.
Example systems: WSRT, LOFAR, SKA, ALMA, JCMT
The detection process: coupling modes, sweeping and correlation of arrays of
detectors.
(Further details of the array mode shall be treated when introducing phased array
systems, block 7.)
Block 2, Monday 2 May: Receiver systems and Antennas
- B. Woestenburg
- (input from W. v. Cappellen’s + group)
- (D. Kant, J.G. b.d Vaate, J. Bregman)
Subjects: Types of receivers, Functionality, Properties, Basic components,
Application example, LNAs, cooling
Front-end detection, Heterodyne/ homodyne
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Direct conversion, Diode mixers, Superconducting mixers, (local) oscillators, phase
noise
Antennas: forms, bandwidth, directivity, polarization
Parabolas, dipoles and Vivaldis, Gain, Antenna pattern, Feed systems
Submm antennas (bolometers): ...
Block 3, Monday 9 May: Signal transport
- D. Kant
- (J. Simons, J.G. b.d Vaate)
Subjects: RF Cables, components, (micro) strip lines, wave guides, PCB technologies
Optical fibers, incl. open air transport
Block 4, Wednesday 11 May: Front-ends for submm
- SRON (W. Wild)
Subjects: Heterodyne and direct detectors: SIS (Superconductor/ insulator/ superconductor), HEB-devices (hot electron bolometer), 1st and 2nd stage amplifiers
Local oscillators (for submm and THz)
Block 5, Monday 16 May: Amplifiers and IF systems
- B. Woestenburg
- (J.G. b.d Vaate)
Subjects: (Cryogenic) LNAs, Noise parameters, Scatter parameters, Linearity/ Nonlinear distortion
Types of amplifiers and IF systems, properties and design concepts (incl. submm IF)
Some specific radio telescopes filter issues are addressed: Noise in filters, impact on
total system noise, implementation techniques for the radio-domain, amplitude
response, phase response
Possible extensions: signal processing from radio domain to ADC, different architectures, Amplification, digital filtering
Monday 23 May: no class
Block 6, Wednesday 25 May: Quasi optical systems
- SRON (W. Wild)
- (P. Wesselius, J. Simons)
Subjects: Gaussian Beams, Quasi-optical components, Gaussian beams and antennas,
Quasi-optical system design
//Suggestion: also: IR back end detection: AOS (Acoustical optical spectrometers)
// SRON input: article refs. SRON contact, P.Wesselius: Rudolf Schieder (Keulen)
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Block 7, Monday 30 May: Phased array systems and Backend
detection
- D. Kant
- (J. Bregman, J.G. b.d Vaate)
Subjects: LOFAR, EMBRACE, signal/ noise ratio (as compared to single dish, no
degradation, Delay lines, Phase shifters
Further details of the array mode of a radio telescope.
Backend detection systems: AD conversion, RFI, Power measurement, linearity,
statistics
Example backends from ASTRON experience: WSRT, LOFAR, EMBRACE
Block 8, Monday 6 June: RF Electronics, trends in components
and MMICs
- J.G b.d Vaate
Subjects: Overview application field, physical principles/ lumped circuits, special
examples from ASTRON experience, trends (RF SiP), RF components for large scale
radio telescopes.
Block 9, Monday 13 June: Practical work at ASTRON (Dwingeloo)
- J.Simons (morning)
- (D. Kant, J.G. b.d Vaate)
RF course instructions and practical exercises: S-parameter measurements (LNA,
some components) (Possibly extended with RF noise measurement)
- D. Kant (afternoon)
- (A. Gunst, J. Simons)
Practical assignment on phased array systems
May be add a practical assignment on the array mode of radio telescope ?
4. Examination
A concluding examination will be given, end of June.
The practical assignments will count in the total result for 50 %.
5. References
1.
J. D. Kraus, Radio Astronomy, 2nd ed. 1986, Cygnus-Quasar books
Fundamental radio astronomy handbook
2.
R. Ludwig, P. Bretchko, RF Circuit design, theory and applications.
Prentice Hall 2000, ISBN 0-13-095 323-7
(used in RF course from ASTRON)
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3.
Proceedings SPIE Vol. 5498, June 2004, Millimeter and Submillimeter
Detectors for Astronomy
4.
Proceedings SPIE Vol. 5487 June 2004, Millimeter and Submillimeter
Detectors for Astronomy
pages 401-523: Herschel Space Observatory
pages 1501-1538: SPICA, SAFIR, ESPRIT, SPECS
pages 1608-1634: Details over SAFIR en SPICA
5.
Quasi optical Systems
Paul F. Goldsmith; IEEE Press, 1998, ISBN 0-7803-3439-6
Web addresses:
- www.alma.info
- www.lofar.nl
...
6. Text description of the course
In the first block a complete system overview is given with basic functionality of all
major components. The radio telescope system breakdown consists of antenna,
frontend receiver, backend receiver, detection, imaging processing and control. An
overview of different systems is sketched: single dish telescope systems, interferometers, VLBI, including different setups (primary/ secondary focus). The critical
system parameters are introduced: Sensitivity, stability, system noise, Aeff/ Tsys.
Example systems are drawn from: WSRT, LOFAR, SKA, ALMA (Atacama Large
MiLlimeter Array), JCMT (James Clerk Maxwell Telescope)
The detection and/ or imaging process is coupled to modes like beam sweeping and
correlation of arrays of detectors. A single pixel radio telescope can be compared to
an optical telescope with an imaging array in the focal plane. Imaging an array
through correlation is essential to high resolution radio telescopes and can be directly
translated to stability requirements on the local oscillator.
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