Electronic equipment

Description

Readout system for transition edge sensors consisting of ~300 low-Tc dc SQUID sensors, compact SQUID packages with niobium shield assemblies, connector interfaces, mating cryocables and control electronics (flux-locked feedback loops). The CRESST experiment employs custom made tungsten transition edge sensors as temperature sensing devices for cryogenic bolometers. For the upgrade of the setup, an increase of the number of available read-out channels to a final number of ~300 is required. To reach this goal, ~300 low-Tc SQUIDs will have to be installed in the liquid helium bath of the existing cryogenic infrastructure at LNGS. Due to the space constraints, a maximally compact packaging has to be adopted, which prevents the use of the existing single SQUID sensors already available. The SQUID sensors have to fulfil the constraints dictated by the high-sensitivity application in terms of noise and slew-rate. The appropriate cryocables will be deployed in the helium bath of the cryostat and will have to mate the SQUID assembly at 4K and the control electronics at room temperature. The control electronics already available in the setup fulfil the experimental requirements in terms of noise as thoroughly demonstrated during years of running and is totally functioning, therefore an extension of the existing system is technically possible and economically desirable. Quality and reliability of the various components are crucial for the success and a timely completion of the upgrade program. All the components of the system will need to be delivered in full functionality until mid 2021 to comply with the project time scale. The total of this order will be around EUR 600 000.