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CCAT: Design and Characterization of the 350 GHz Instrument Module
Authors:
Ben Keller,
Jordan Wheeler,
Cody J. Duell,
Darshan A. Patel,
Jason Austermann,
Baird D. Bankovic,
James Burgoyne,
Scott Chapman,
Steve K. Choi,
Rodrigo Freundt,
Min Gao,
Eliza Gazda,
Anthony I. Huber,
Johannes Hubmayr,
Lawrence T. Lin,
Quintin Meyers,
Paul Malachuk,
Alicia Middleton,
Michael D. Niemack,
Tilak M. Patel,
Anna Vaskuri,
Eve Vavagiakis,
Michael R. Vissers,
Samantha Walker,
Yuhan Wang
, et al. (2 additional authors not shown)
Abstract:
The CCAT Collaboration's Prime-Cam instrument will soon be deployed to the Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope (FYST) in Chile's Atacama Desert. Featuring prominently in Prime-Cam's calibration and early science observations will be the 350 GHz instrument module, a broadband camera that will field more than 10,000 microwave kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs) across three detector arrays. Forecasts…
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The CCAT Collaboration's Prime-Cam instrument will soon be deployed to the Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope (FYST) in Chile's Atacama Desert. Featuring prominently in Prime-Cam's calibration and early science observations will be the 350 GHz instrument module, a broadband camera that will field more than 10,000 microwave kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs) across three detector arrays. Forecasts show this module will be capable of making the most sensitive to-date measurements of polarized dust emission over a large fraction of the sky at this frequency, enabling new galactic polarization science and improved understanding of cosmological foregrounds. In this work we discuss the design of the 350 GHz instrument module, covering aspects of the optics, readout, and detector arrays. We then report on the results of in-lab testing of the fully-integrated module, achieving stable cryogenic performance with a 100 mK focal plane, high detector yield, and a passband comparable to designed specifications. Upon completion of these tests, this module was shipped to the telescope site in Chile for integration in Prime-Cam.
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Submitted 5 August, 2026;
originally announced August 2026.
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CCAT: The 410 GHz camera module for FYST - design and testing of the MKID focal plane
Authors:
Scott C. Chapman,
Jordan Wheeler,
Anthony Huber,
Jason Austermann,
James A. Beall,
James Burgoyne,
Max Chapman,
Jesslyn Devina,
Douglas Henke,
Johannes Hubmayr,
Dylan Lockyer,
Michael Niemack,
Tilak M. Patel,
Colin Ross,
Douglas Scott,
Adrian Sinclair,
Eve Vavagiakis,
Michael R. Vissers,
Ruixuan,
Xie
Abstract:
Prime-Cam, the primary first-light instrument for the Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope (FYST) developed by the Cerro Chajnantor Atacama Telescope (CCAT) Collaboration, will accommodate seven modules. Here we describe the off-central 410 GHz imager/polarimeter. The 410 GHz instrument is a camera module for CCAT funded by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, being developed as a collaboration b…
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Prime-Cam, the primary first-light instrument for the Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope (FYST) developed by the Cerro Chajnantor Atacama Telescope (CCAT) Collaboration, will accommodate seven modules. Here we describe the off-central 410 GHz imager/polarimeter. The 410 GHz instrument is a camera module for CCAT funded by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, being developed as a collaboration between Dalhousie University, University of British Columbia (UBC), National Research Council (NRC) - Herzberg, and Duke University. With atmospheric loading in the 410 GHz window being significantly higher than at 350 GHz (but substantially lower than 850 GHz), we assess four MKID test devices with varying inductor volume for performance at 410 GHz. We propose a design for an array of ~6,700 horn-coupled TiN MKIDs optimized for use at 410 GHz, with a planned ~20,000 MKIDs over three arrays, exploring mapping speed versus detector number. We test the four MKID devices optically and assess optimal Qi/Qc and responsivity for the 410 GHz atmospheric window atop Cerro Chajnantor. The detectors will be designed in frequency to be efficiently readout with a second generation, two octave readout (based on the Xilinx RFSoC board), with over 4000 detectors per board.
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Submitted 4 August, 2026;
originally announced August 2026.
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CCAT: Optical Design of the 410 GHz Prime-Cam Module
Authors:
Tilak M. Patel,
Tanner Buck,
Anthony Huber,
Eve M. Vavagiakis,
James Burgoyne,
Scott Chapman,
Ben Keller,
Jenna E. Moore,
Michael D. Niemack,
CCAT Collaboration
Abstract:
Prime-Cam is a first-generation instrument for the Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope (FYST), enabling wide-field, multi-frequency observations for cosmology, line-intensity mapping, and galaxy studies. We present an optical performance study for a candidate 410 GHz broadband module designed to field approximately 21,000 polarisation-sensitive kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs). The three-lens si…
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Prime-Cam is a first-generation instrument for the Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope (FYST), enabling wide-field, multi-frequency observations for cosmology, line-intensity mapping, and galaxy studies. We present an optical performance study for a candidate 410 GHz broadband module designed to field approximately 21,000 polarisation-sensitive kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs). The three-lens silicon design was adapted from the SO LATR design and used for the existing 280 and 350 GHz Prime-Cam instrument modules, as well as this study. At 410 GHz, a shorter wavelength places tighter demands on wavefront quality and beam shape. Using Ansys Zemax OpticStudio and Huygens PSF analysis, we evaluate candidate module positions, compare 350 and 410 GHz performance, and assess field-dependent Strehl ratio, ellipticity, and encircled-energy behaviour. A preliminary tolerancing study, using inverse increment and Monte Carlo methods, tests sensitivity to selected alignment perturbations.
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Submitted 21 August, 2026; v1 submitted 3 August, 2026;
originally announced August 2026.