R&D at Nançay for radio astronomy detectors and systems

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

doi:10.1051/eas/0937015

All issues

Volume 37 (2009)

EAS Publications Series, 37 (2009) 127-134

Abstract

Issue		EAS Publications Series Volume 37, 2009 Astrophysics Detector Workshop 2008


Page(s)		127 - 134
DOI		https://doi.org/10.1051/eas/0937015
Published online		11 June 2009

Astrophysics Detector Workshop 2008
P. Kern (ed)
EAS Publications Series, 37 (2009) 127-134

R&D at Nançay for radio astronomy detectors and systems

S. Bosse¹, M.-L. Grima¹, G. Kenfack¹, C. Viou¹, P. Picard¹, J. Pezzani¹, P. Renaud¹, C. Taffoureau¹, L. Denis¹, A. Coffre¹, I. Thomas¹, S. Torchinsky¹, J.-M. Martin², E. Gérard², W. van Driel², A. Lecacheux³, P. Colom³, A. Kerdraon³, R. Weber⁴, P. Ravier⁴ and R. Feliachi⁴

¹ Station de Radioastronomie, 18330 Nançay, France
² GEPI and Station de Radioastronomie, Observatoire de Paris, Place Jules Janssen, 92190 Meudon, France
³ LESIA and Station de Radioastronomie, Observatoire de Paris, Place Jules Janssen, 92190 Meudon, France
⁴ Institut PRISME, Université d'Orléans, 12 rue de Blois, BP. 6744, 45067 Orléans Cedex 2, France

Corresponding author: jean-michel.martin@obspm.fr

Abstract

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.