CCAT-prime: Characterization of the First 280 GHz MKID Array for Prime-Cam

TL;DR

This paper reports the initial laboratory characterization of a 280 GHz MKID array for the Prime-Cam receiver, part of the CCAT-prime project, aimed at astrophysical and cosmological observations.

Contribution

It presents the first lab characterization of a feedhorn-coupled 280 GHz MKID array for the Prime-Cam instrument, outlining future development plans.

Findings

Initial MKID array performance metrics obtained

Feasibility demonstrated for high-frequency MKID arrays

Plans for further array development and testing

Abstract

The Prime-Cam receiver on the Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope for the CCAT-prime project aims to address important astrophysical and cosmological questions with sensitive broadband, polarimetric, and spectroscopic measurements. The primary frequency bands in development include 280, 350, and 850 GHz for the polarization-sensitive broadband channels and 210--420 GHz for the spectrometers. Microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKIDs) are a natural choice of detector technology for the simplicity in multiplexed readout needed for large format arrays at these high frequencies. We present here the initial lab characterization of the feedhorn-coupled 280 GHz polarimetric MKID array, and outline the plans for the subsequent MKID arrays and the development of the testbed to characterize them.