Intrinsic Losses and Noise of High-Q Lithographic MHz LC Resonators for Frequency Division Multiplexing

Abstract

We are developing the frequency division multiplexing (FDM) read-out for the superconducting transition-edge sensors arrays of the X-IFU instrument on board of Athena and of the SAFARI instrument on board of SPICA. An essential component of the FDM is the array of narrow band superconducting resonators, each consisting of lithographically made inductors and capacitors. In the standard FDM configuration, the LC resonators are connected in series with the input coil of a low noise two-stage SQUID amplifier. In this work, we have modified the electrical scheme to weakly couple the SQUID amplifier from the LC filters in order to measure their intrinsic properties. We report on the intrinsic losses and on the noise of high-Q superconducting LC resonators, with resonant frequencies ranging between 1 and 5 MHz, measured at temperatures from 70 to 500 mK. The LC resonators show very low losses with values smaller than $$0.5\,\mathrm {m}\Omega $$ at equilibrium temperatures below 100 mK. We demonstrate that the LC resonators noise is thermal between 500 and 70 mK.