Characterisation at Cryogenic Temperatures of an Attenuator for an Application of Astrophysical Instrumentation with MKIDs

The use of non-cryogenic certified commercial electronics for cryogenic applications may be attractive due to their cost and availability, but it also carries risks related to reliability, performance and thermal compatibility. The decision to use commercial components that are not certified for cry...

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Main Authors: Diego Portero-Rodríguez, Hugo García-Vázquez, José Luis Martínez-Rodríguez, Sergio Elías Hernández Alonso, Enrique Joven Álvarez, Roger John Hoyland, José Javier Díaz García, Luis Fernando Rodríguez Ramos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Sensors
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/24/8129
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author Diego Portero-Rodríguez
Hugo García-Vázquez
José Luis Martínez-Rodríguez
Sergio Elías Hernández Alonso
Enrique Joven Álvarez
Roger John Hoyland
José Javier Díaz García
Luis Fernando Rodríguez Ramos
author_facet Diego Portero-Rodríguez
Hugo García-Vázquez
José Luis Martínez-Rodríguez
Sergio Elías Hernández Alonso
Enrique Joven Álvarez
Roger John Hoyland
José Javier Díaz García
Luis Fernando Rodríguez Ramos
author_sort Diego Portero-Rodríguez
collection DOAJ
description The use of non-cryogenic certified commercial electronics for cryogenic applications may be attractive due to their cost and availability, but it also carries risks related to reliability, performance and thermal compatibility. The decision to use commercial components that are not certified for cryogenics instead of components specifically designed for such applications must be carefully weighed based on specific project needs and risk tolerances. This work presents the characterisation of an attenuator circuit at cryogenic temperatures used in a microwave kinetic inductance detector (MKID) readout system. In order to characterise the operation of the attenuator at cryogenic temperatures and because the circuit works at frequencies up to 40 GHz, a specific microwave PCB has been designed. The cooling system used consists of a cryostat, all the connectors, cables, a vacuum pump, a compressor, pressure and temperature sensors, a temperature control system and a cold head operating in a closed helium gas cycle according to the Gifford–McMahon principle. The circuit was tested and characterised at temperatures ranging from 296.5 K to 83.6 K.
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institution DOAJ
issn 1424-8220
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Sensors
spelling doaj-art-8fec07db69854fa08f0c461963b5471e2025-08-20T02:56:58ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202024-12-012424812910.3390/s24248129Characterisation at Cryogenic Temperatures of an Attenuator for an Application of Astrophysical Instrumentation with MKIDsDiego Portero-Rodríguez0Hugo García-Vázquez1José Luis Martínez-Rodríguez2Sergio Elías Hernández Alonso3Enrique Joven Álvarez4Roger John Hoyland5José Javier Díaz García6Luis Fernando Rodríguez Ramos7Laboratorio de Circuitos Integrados (LABIC), Departamento de Electrónica, Área de Instrumentación, Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), 38205 La Laguna, Tenerife, SpainLaboratorio de Circuitos Integrados (LABIC), Departamento de Electrónica, Área de Instrumentación, Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), 38205 La Laguna, Tenerife, SpainLaboratorio de Circuitos Integrados (LABIC), Departamento de Electrónica, Área de Instrumentación, Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), 38205 La Laguna, Tenerife, SpainDepartamento de Ingeniería Industrial, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, SpainLaboratorio de Circuitos Integrados (LABIC), Departamento de Electrónica, Área de Instrumentación, Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), 38205 La Laguna, Tenerife, SpainLaboratorio de Circuitos Integrados (LABIC), Departamento de Electrónica, Área de Instrumentación, Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), 38205 La Laguna, Tenerife, SpainLaboratorio de Circuitos Integrados (LABIC), Departamento de Electrónica, Área de Instrumentación, Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), 38205 La Laguna, Tenerife, SpainLaboratorio de Circuitos Integrados (LABIC), Departamento de Electrónica, Área de Instrumentación, Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), 38205 La Laguna, Tenerife, SpainThe use of non-cryogenic certified commercial electronics for cryogenic applications may be attractive due to their cost and availability, but it also carries risks related to reliability, performance and thermal compatibility. The decision to use commercial components that are not certified for cryogenics instead of components specifically designed for such applications must be carefully weighed based on specific project needs and risk tolerances. This work presents the characterisation of an attenuator circuit at cryogenic temperatures used in a microwave kinetic inductance detector (MKID) readout system. In order to characterise the operation of the attenuator at cryogenic temperatures and because the circuit works at frequencies up to 40 GHz, a specific microwave PCB has been designed. The cooling system used consists of a cryostat, all the connectors, cables, a vacuum pump, a compressor, pressure and temperature sensors, a temperature control system and a cold head operating in a closed helium gas cycle according to the Gifford–McMahon principle. The circuit was tested and characterised at temperatures ranging from 296.5 K to 83.6 K.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/24/8129cryogenicvacuumastrophysical instrumentationintegrated circuit (IC)attenuatormicrowaves
spellingShingle Diego Portero-Rodríguez
Hugo García-Vázquez
José Luis Martínez-Rodríguez
Sergio Elías Hernández Alonso
Enrique Joven Álvarez
Roger John Hoyland
José Javier Díaz García
Luis Fernando Rodríguez Ramos
Characterisation at Cryogenic Temperatures of an Attenuator for an Application of Astrophysical Instrumentation with MKIDs
Sensors
cryogenic
vacuum
astrophysical instrumentation
integrated circuit (IC)
attenuator
microwaves
title Characterisation at Cryogenic Temperatures of an Attenuator for an Application of Astrophysical Instrumentation with MKIDs
title_full Characterisation at Cryogenic Temperatures of an Attenuator for an Application of Astrophysical Instrumentation with MKIDs
title_fullStr Characterisation at Cryogenic Temperatures of an Attenuator for an Application of Astrophysical Instrumentation with MKIDs
title_full_unstemmed Characterisation at Cryogenic Temperatures of an Attenuator for an Application of Astrophysical Instrumentation with MKIDs
title_short Characterisation at Cryogenic Temperatures of an Attenuator for an Application of Astrophysical Instrumentation with MKIDs
title_sort characterisation at cryogenic temperatures of an attenuator for an application of astrophysical instrumentation with mkids
topic cryogenic
vacuum
astrophysical instrumentation
integrated circuit (IC)
attenuator
microwaves
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/24/8129
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