Development of frequency domain multiplexing for the X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU) on the Athena

TL;DR

This paper reports on the development and testing of frequency domain multiplexing readout for TES microcalorimeters in the X-IFU instrument on Athena, achieving high energy resolution and demonstrating multi-pixel operation.

Contribution

It introduces a successful implementation of FDM readout for TES arrays with high spectral resolution, including multi-pixel performance, for the first time.

Findings

Achieved ~2.5 eV energy resolution at 1.7 MHz in single-pixel readout.

Demonstrated ~3.0 eV energy resolution in a 6-pixel FDM array.

Validated FDM as the baseline readout for the X-IFU instrument.

Abstract

We are developing the frequency domain multiplexing (FDM) read-out of transition-edge sensor (TES) microcalorimeters for the X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU) instrument on board of the future European X-Ray observatory Athena. The X-IFU instrument consists of an array of $\sim$3840 TESs with a high quantum efficiency ($>$90 \%) and spectral resolution $\Delta E$=2.5 eV $@$ 7 keV ($E/\Delta E\sim$2800). FDM is currently the baseline readout system for the X-IFU instrument. Using high quality factor LC filters and room temperature electronics developed at SRON and low-noise two stage SQUID amplifiers provided by VTT, we have recently demonstrated good performance with the FDM readout of Mo/Au TES calorimeters with Au/Bi absorbers. An integrated noise equivalent power resolution of about 2.0 eV at 1.7 MHz has been demonstrated with a pixel from a new TES array from NASA/Goddard (GSFC-A2). We have achieved X-ray energy resolutions $\sim$2.5 eV at AC bias frequency at 1.7 MHz in the single pixel read-out. We have also demonstrated for the first time an X-ray energy resolution around 3.0 eV in a 6 pixel FDM read-out with TES array (GSFC-A1). In this paper we report on the single pixel performance of these microcalorimeters under MHz AC bias, and further results of the performance of these pixels under FDM.