The performance of the bolometer array and readout system during the 2012/2013 flight of the E and B experiment (EBEX)

TL;DR

The paper reports on the successful deployment and operation of a large TES bolometer array on a balloon platform during the EBEX 2012/2013 flight, highlighting system design, tuning, and initial performance results.

Contribution

It presents the first use of a TES bolometer array on a balloon platform for cosmic microwave background polarization measurements, including system development and preliminary noise performance.

Findings

Operated 955 TES bolometers across three frequency bands.

Demonstrated remote tuning of bolometers and SQUID amplifiers.

Provided initial noise performance data for the system.

Abstract

EBEX is a balloon-borne telescope designed to measure the polarization of the cosmic microwave background radiation. During its eleven day science flight in the Austral Summer of 2012, it operated 955 spider-web transition edge sensor (TES) bolometers separated into bands at 150, 250 and 410 GHz. This is the first time that an array of TES bolometers has been used on a balloon platform to conduct science observations. Polarization sensitivity was provided by a wire grid and continuously rotating half-wave plate. The balloon implementation of the bolometer array and readout electronics presented unique development requirements. Here we present an outline of the readout system, the remote tuning of the bolometers and Superconducting QUantum Interference Device (SQUID) amplifiers, and preliminary current noise of the bolometer array and readout system.