Low-noise readout of TES detectors with baseband feedback frequency domain multiplexing

Abstract

SRON is developing an electronic read-out system for an array of transition edge sensors (TES) based on the techniques of frequency domain multiplexing (FDM) and base-band feedback (BBFB). The astronomical applications of our system are the read-out of soft X-ray micro-calorimeters in a potential instrument on the European X-ray mission-under-study Athena and far-IR bolometers for the SAFARI instrument on the Japanese mission SPICA. In this paper we demonstrate the simultaneous locking of up to 51 BBFB loops.While locked, the in-band read-out noise of the loops is shown to reach the 10 pA/√Hz level required for these missions. © The Author(s) 2012.