Progress towards ultra sensitive KIDs for future far-infrared missions: a focus on recombination times

Abstract

Future generations of far-infrared (FIR) telescopes will need detectors with noise-equivalent powers on the order of 5 x 10^(-20) W/Hz^(1/2) in order to be photon background limited by astrophysical sources. One such mission concept in development is the Galaxy Evolution Probe (GEP), which will characterize galaxy formation and evolution from z=0 to beyond z=4. Kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs) have been baselined for the GEP for spectroscopy and imaging science between 10 μm and 400 μm due to their intrinsic frequency multiplexability and simple readout schemes. We focus on quasiparticle recombination times as a strategy for increasing detector responsivities to move towards the NEP requirements of the GEP. We present a new model for quantifying time constants from the responses of detectors to pulses of light, and test this model on a 40 nm thick ¼ λ Al coplanar waveguide KID. We intend to use this measurement scheme to quantify the dependence of the quasiparticle recombination time on Al thickness.