Readout System for Frequency-Division Multiplexing Superconducting Detector Arrays

Abstract

Superconducting detectors have great potential in detecting microwaves and infrared waves due to their high sensitivity and accuracy in observational results. We have proposed and designed a readout system for frequency-division multiplexing superconducting detector arrays, along with corresponding backend processing and control software. The readout system consists of a baseband signal transmission board, a baseband signal receiver board, an intermediate frequency board, and a server. The baseband signal transmission board and the baseband signal receiver board are designed based on Xilinx radio frequency systems-on-chip. The backend processing and control software has been developed using the Browser/Server architecture. In this study, our designed readout system covers a resonator frequency range of 4–6 GHz or 6–8 GHz, with a multiplexing ratio of 1000:1 for each signal line. The corresponding backend processing and control software can implement functionalities such as system startup, data acquisition, real-time data flow display, I–Q sweep, and nonlinear compensation of the readout system. In the recent experiments, we tested the performance of the entire system and provided the test results for the radio frequency loop test and connecting with superconducting detector array. The experimental results showed that our proposed readout system, aided by the backend processing and control software, is capable of multiplexing readout of large-array frequency-division multiplexing resonators and can be applied in various superconducting detector arrays as well. This system lays a solid foundation for future frequency-division multiplexing readout and large-array readout of superconducting detectors.