Measuring the Polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background with BICEP3

Citation

Hui, Howard (2018) Measuring the Polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background with BICEP3. Dissertation (Ph.D.), California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/G8ET-FD62. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:06042018-002455152

Abstract

Inflation, a period of accelerated expansion in the early Universe, is postulated to answer the horizon, flatness and monopole problems in the standard model of the Universe. This inflationary scenario generically predicts the existence of primordial gravitational waves, which would leave an unique B-mode polarization pattern in the Cosmic Microwave Background. Detection of the primordial B modes at degree angular scales would be a direct evidence for inflation; and the amplitude, parametrized by the tensor-to-scalar ratio r, would allow us to probe the energy scale at 10^-35 second after the Big Bang.

The Bicep/Keck Array experiment is a series of telescopes located at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station designed to measure the CMB polarization at degree angular scales. The latest result in Bicep/Keck Array, using data collected up to 2015, and combined with other external data, set upper limits on r < 0.06 at 95% confidence. Bicep3 is the latest addition in the experiment, deployed to South Pole in 2015, and started science observation in 2016. It is a 520 mm aperture, compact two-lens refracting telescope at 95 GHz. With 2500 detectors, it achieved instantaneous sensitivity of 9.1μK√s and 7.3μK√s for 2016 and 2017, respectively. After two year of observations, Bicep3 is estimated to reach a map depth of 3.8μK-arcmin. This is the most sensitive polarization measurement at 95 GHz to date.

This dissertation provides an overview of the Bicep3 instrument design. In particular, the performance of the sub-Kelvin focal plane structure, antenna-coupled transition edge sensor and time domain multiplexing SQUID readout system. We discuss various calibration methods used to probe instrument sensitivity and systematics. Finally, we review the analysis pipeline, and some preliminary results from Bicep3.

Item Type:

Thesis (Dissertation (Ph.D.))

Subject Keywords:

Cosmic Microwave Background; cosmology: observations; gravitational waves; inflation; instrumentation: polarimeters; telescopes

Degree Grantor:

California Institute of Technology

Division:

Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy

Major Option:

Physics

Thesis Availability:

Public (worldwide access)

Research Advisor(s):

Bock, James J.

Group:

Astronomy Department

Thesis Committee:

Bock, James J. (chair)
Golwala, Sunil
Doré, Olivier P.
Fuller, James

Defense Date:

25 May 2018

Non-Caltech Author Email:

howard.h.hui (AT) gmail.com

Record Number:

CaltechTHESIS:06042018-002455152

Persistent URL:

https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:06042018-002455152

DOI:

10.7907/G8ET-FD62

Related URLs:

URL	URL Type	Description
https://arxiv.org/abs/1208.0638	arXiv	BICEP2 and Keck Array operational overview and status of observations
https://arxiv.org/abs/1208.1247	arXiv	Antenna-coupled TES bolometers for the Keck Array, Spider, and Polar-1
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014SPIE.9153E..3BK	ADS	Keck array and BICEP3: spectral characterization of 5000+ detectors
https://arxiv.org/abs/1407.5928	arXiv	BICEP3: a 95 GHz refracting telescope for degree-scale CMB polarization
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016JLTP..184..765W	ADS	Initial Performance of Bicep3: A Degree Angular Scale 95 GHz Band Polarimeter
https://arxiv.org/abs/1607.06861	arXiv	BICEP3 focal plane design and detector performance
https://arxiv.org/abs/1607.04567	arXiv	Optical Characterization of the BICEP3 CMB Polarimeter at the South Pole
https://arxiv.org/abs/1607.04668	arXiv	BICEP3 performance overview and planned Keck Array upgrade
https://arxiv.org/abs/1502.00619	arXiv	Antenna-coupled TES bolometers used in BICEP2, Keck array, and SPIDER
https://arxiv.org/abs/1502.00612	arXiv	A Joint Analysis of BICEP2/Keck Array and Planck Data
https://arxiv.org/abs/1502.00596	arXiv	BICEP2/Keck Array IV: Optical Characterization and Performance of the BICEP2 and Keck Array Experiments
https://arxiv.org/abs/1502.00643	arXiv	BICEP2 / Keck Array V: Measurements of B-mode Polarization at Degree Angular Scales and 150 GHz by the Keck Array
https://arxiv.org/abs/1510.09217	arXiv	BICEP2 / Keck Array VI: Improved Constraints On Cosmology and Foregrounds When Adding 95 GHz Data From Keck Array
https://arxiv.org/abs/1603.05976	arXiv	BICEP2 / Keck Array VII: Matrix based E/B Separation applied to BICEP2 and the Keck Array

ORCID:

Author	ORCID
Hui, Howard	0000-0001-5812-1903

Default Usage Policy:

No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided.

ID Code:

11014

Collection:

CaltechTHESIS

Deposited By:

Howard Hui

Deposited On:

09 Jun 2018 00:04

Last Modified:

26 Oct 2021 17:04

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