R&D at Nançay for radio astronomy detectors and systems

S. Bosse (1) , M.-L. Grima (1) , G. Kenfack (1) , C. Viou (1) , P. Picard (1) , J. Pezzani (1) , P. Renaud (1) , C. Taffoureau (1) , L. Denis (1) , A. Coffre (1) , I. Thomas (1) , S. Torchinsky , J.-M. Martin , E. Gérard , W. van Driel , A. Lecacheux , P. Colom , A. Kerdraon , R. Weber , P. Ravier , R. Feliachi

1 USN - Unité Scientifique de la Station de Nançay

Nançay radio astronomy station teams are involved in several aspects of the Research and Development (R&D) for radio astronomy detectors and systems: i) Microelectronics: Low Noise Amplifiers (LNA), receiver on chip and system in package. The long-term goal is to provide sub-systems for the future Square Kilometer Array and its Pathfinders. A beamformer chip has been integrated in the FP6 SKADS dense aperture array technology demonstrator EMBRACE. Wide band SiGe LNAs are developed, beamformers with in-chip control are studied and more complex integrated receivers are designed for the european Aperture Array Verification Programme demonstrator. ii) Digital signal processing: EMBRACE beamforming has been implemented in the digital backend and RFI-mitigation oriented signal processing has been designed for realtime systems, including work for FP6 SKADS and FP7 PrepSKA. iii) A study of Phased Array Feeds has started in 2008, in order to study the radio electric properties of PAFs at the focus of large F/D telescopes, such as the Nançay Radio Telescope, as well as to test PAF systems in collaboration with the SPP/IRFU and LAL/IN2P3 laboratories.

Domains: Sciences of the Universe [physics]

S. Bosse, M.-L. Grima, G. Kenfack, C. Viou, P. Picard, et al.. R&D at Nançay for radio astronomy detectors and systems. EAS Publications Series, 2009, 37, pp.127-134. ⟨10.1051/eas/0937015⟩. ⟨insu-03350908⟩