Demonstration of Athena X-IFU Compatible 40-Row Time-Division-Multiplexed Readout

Abstract

Time-division multiplexing (TDM) is the backup readout technology for the X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU), a 3168-pixel X-ray transition-edge sensor (TES) array that will provide imaging spectroscopy for european space agency's Athena satellite mission. X-IFU design studies are considering readout with a multiplexing factor of up to 40. We present data showing 40-row TDM readout (32 TES rows + 8 repeats of the last row) of TESs that are of the same type as those being planned for X-IFU, using measurement and analysis parameters within the ranges specified for X-IFU. Single-column TDM measurements have bestfit energy resolution of (1.91 ± 0.01) eV for the Al Kα complex (1.5 keV), (2.10 ± 0.02) eV for Ti Kα (4.5 keV), (2.23 ± 0.02) eV for Mn Kα (5.9 keV), (2.40 ± 0.02) eV for Co Kα (6.9 keV), and (3.44 ± 0.04) eV for Br Kα (11.9 keV). Three-column measurements Manuscript

A Review of X-ray Microcalorimeters Based on Superconducting Transition Edge Sensors for Astrophysics and Particle Physics

“…The star symbol is the expected demonstration of the readout of 3168 pixels with the XIFU/Athena flight model (FM). The data points are taken from the following publications, as annotated in the bottom plot: a = [195], b = [196], c = [9], d = [133], e = [197], f = [128]…”

“…The star symbol is the expected demonstration of the readout of 3168 pixels with the XIFU/Athena flight model (FM). The data points are taken from the following publications, as annotated in the bottom plot: a =[195], b =[196], c =[9], d =[133], e =[197], f =[128] (32 TESs + 8 repeats of the last row), g =[134], h =[135], i =[10], j =[198], k =[127], l =[148], m =[149], n =[114], o =[157].…”

Mitigation of Finite Bandwidth Effects in Time-Division-Multiplexed SQUID Readout of TES Arrays

“…Experimental measurements were performed in a NIST 8column × 32-row TDM system and used the NASA LPA 2.5a TES array [15] from our previous work [6], [7]. Our previous work used a "mux18b" multiplexing chip, with parameters listed in the caption of Fig.…”

“…TDM [4] is a highly mature TES-readout technology that is routinely used in 250-pixel scale TES spectrometers in a broad range of experimental applications [5]. Recent demonstrations have shown steadily improving energy resolutions [6], with the most recent result of (2.16 ± 0.006) eV at 6.9 keV meeting X-IFU requirements including engineering margins [7]. These advances have been driven by increases in TDM bandwidth and the development of techniques to mitigate the malign effects of settling transients.…”

“…SQ1s in a column are activated one at a time, allowing a column's SQ1 current signals to be read out by one amplifier chain, consisting of a SQUID series array transimpedance amplifier (SSAA) [11], a low noise amplifier (LNA), and an analog to digital converter (ADC). Multiplexing factors as high as 40 have been demonstrated while reading out microcalorimeters [6]. This readout can be scaled further by operating many columns in parallel and activating rows of SQ1s with shared FAS control lines.…”