Multichroic TES Bolometers and Galaxy Cluster Mass Scaling Relations with the South Pole Telescope

TL;DR

This paper discusses the development and deployment of multichroic TES bolometers and advanced analysis methods for the South Pole Telescope, enhancing observations of the CMB and galaxy clusters.

Contribution

It introduces novel 3-band multichroic TES bolometers and a Bayesian method for measuring galaxy cluster properties from SZ data.

Findings

Successful development of multichroic TES bolometers for SPT-3G

Implementation of a Bayesian likelihood method for Ysz measurement

Analysis of SPT-SZ data for galaxy cluster scaling relations

Abstract

The South Pole Telescope (SPT) is a high-resolution microwave-frequency telescope designed to observe the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). To date, two cameras have been installed on the SPT to conduct two surveys of the CMB, the first in intensity only (SPT-SZ) and the second in intensity and polarization (SPTpol). A third-generation polarization-sensitive camera is currently in development (SPT-3G). This thesis describes work spanning all three instruments on the SPT. I present my work in time-reversed order, to follow the canonical narrative of instrument development, deployment, and analysis. First, the development and testing of novel 3-band multichroic Transition Edge Sensor (TES) bolometers for the SPT-3G experiment is detailed, followed by the development and deployment of the frequency multiplexed cryogenic readout electronics for the SPTpol experiment, and concluding with the analysis of data taken by the SPT-SZ instrument. I describe the development of a Bayesian likelihood based method I developed for measuring the integrated Comptonization (Ysz) of galaxy clusters from the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect, and constraining galaxy cluster Ysz-mass scaling relations.