An Haloscope Amplification Chain based on a Travelling Wave Parametric Amplifier

TL;DR

This paper characterizes a RF detection chain utilizing a travelling wave parametric amplifier for dark matter axion searches, achieving a low system noise temperature of around 3.3 K at 10.77 GHz.

Contribution

It introduces a novel measurement scheme for accurately determining system noise temperature directly at the cavity output in axion search setups.

Findings

Achieved a system noise temperature of 3.3 K at 10.77 GHz.

Demonstrated the effectiveness of TWPA in low-noise RF detection.

Provided a new method for precise noise temperature measurement.

Abstract

In this paper we will describe the characterisation of a rf detection chain based on a travelling wave parametric amplifier (TWPA). The detection chain is meant to be used for dark matter axion searches and thus it is mounted coupled to a high Q microwave resonant cavity. A system noise temperature $T_{\rm sys} = (3.3 \pm 0.1$) K has been measured at a frequency of 10.77 GHz, using a novel scheme allowing measurement of $T_{\rm sys} $ exactly at the cavity output port.