The design and characterization of a 300 channel, optimized full-band millimeter filterbank for science with SuperSpec

Abstract

SuperSpec is an integrated, on-chip spectrometer for millimeter and sub-millimeter astronomy. We report the approach, design optimization, and partial characterization of a 300 channel filterbank covering the 185 to 315 GHz frequency band that targets a resolving power R ~ 310, and fits on a 3.5×5.5 cm chip. SuperSpec uses a lens and broadband antenna to couple radiation into a niobium microstrip that feeds a bank of niobium microstrip half-wave resonators for frequency selectivity. Each half-wave resonator is coupled to the inductor of a titanium nitride lumped-element kinetic inductance detector (LEKID) that detects the incident radiation. The device was designed for use in a demonstration instrument at the Large Millimeter Telescope (LMT).