QUBIC III: Laboratory Characterization

S.A. TORCHINSKY; SCÓCCOLA, CLAUDIA G.; AND THE QUBIC COLLABORATION

JOURNAL OF COSMOLOGY AND ASTROPARTICLE PHYSICS

IOP PUBLISHING LTD

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2021

1475-7516

A prototype version of the Q & U Bolometric Interferometer for Cosmology(QUBIC) underwent a campaign of testing in the laboratory at AstroparticlePhysics and Cosmology in Paris. We report the results of this TechnologicalDemonstrator which successfully shows the feasibility of the principle ofBolometric Interferometry. Characterization of QUBIC includes the measurementof the synthesized beam, the measurement of interference fringes, and themeasurement of polarization performance. A modulated and frequency tunablemillimetre-wave source in the telescope far-field is used to simulate a pointsource. The QUBIC pointing is scanned across the point source to produce beammaps. Polarization modulation is measured using a rotating Half Wave Plate. Themeasured beam matches well to the theoretical simulations and gives QUBIC theability to do spectro imaging. The polarization performance is excellent withless than 0.5% cross-polarization rejection. QUBIC is ready for deployment onthe high altitude site at Alto Chorillo, Argentina to begin scientificoperations.