LEKID-based instruments for cosmic microwave background polarimetry

Abstract

After years of research and development, lumped-element kinetic inductance detectors (LEKIDs) are now competitive with other detector technologies for studying the polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation. One ultimate goal of this effort is the detection of the so-called inflationary B-mode polarization signature, which would yield the most convincing evidence for the theories of inflation and, if detected, would constrain the energy scale of these theories. The B-mode signal is predicted to be extremely small-in the nanokelvin range-requiring excellent sensitivity and exquisite control of systematics.