A Scalable Cryogenic LED Module for Selectively Illuminating Kinetic Inductance Detector Arrays

TL;DR

This paper introduces a scalable cryogenic LED module with multiplexing for mapping KID arrays, demonstrating effective operation at cryogenic temperatures and potential adaptability to other detector systems.

Contribution

A novel multiplexing LED module design enables scalable, cryogenically operable illumination for KID arrays with minimal wiring complexity.

Findings

Operates effectively at 77 K and 10 K

Uses only seven wires for control of 480 LEDs

Can be scaled without additional wiring

Abstract

We present the design and measured performance of a light emitting diode (LED) module for spatially mapping kinetic inductance detector (KID) arrays in the laboratory. Our novel approach uses a multiplexing scheme that only requires seven wires to control 480 red LEDs, and the number of LEDs can be scaled up without adding any additional wires. This multiplexing approach relies on active surface mount components that can operate at cryogenic temperatures down to 10 K. Cryogenic tests in liquid nitrogen and inside our cryostat demonstrate that the multiplexer circuit works at 77 and 10 K, respectively. The LED module presented here is tailored for our millimeter-wave detector modules, but the approach could be adapted for use with other KID-based detector systems.