Study of quantum optical effect in high-density detector arrays for millimeter-wave telescopes

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K21873
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 15:Particle-, nuclear-, astro-physics, and related fields
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Kusaka Akito 東京大学, 大学院理学系研究科(理学部), 准教授 (20785703)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 木内 健司 東京大学, 大学院理学系研究科(理学部), 助教 (00791071)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-06-28 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: ミリ波望遠鏡 / 量子光学 / 光子相関 / 宇宙マイクロ波背景放射

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We studied the photon intensity correlation (Hanbury-Brown & Twiss effect) in the detector array of the millimeter-wave telescope, both theoretically and experimentally. The next-generation cosmic microwave background (CMB) experiments, such as the Simons Observatory and CMB-S4, are arrays of millimeter-wave radio telescopes with tens or hundreds of thousands of detectors, and comprise focal planes with densely packed detectors. We pointed out that the intensity correlation due to the Bose statistics of photons in such configuration cannot be ignored. This study established a calculation method for this effect and provided a new guideline for millimeter-wave telescope design. We also developed a correlation measurement setup using CMB detectors.

Free Research Field

宇宙物理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、光の量子力学的な振る舞いの研究を通して、電波望遠鏡の設計に新しい指針を与えるものである。特に、宇宙背景放射と呼ばれるビッグバン直後の宇宙初期から来る「宇宙最古の光」のための観測装置の高度化により、宇宙初期や宇宙の進化の研究に寄与する。また、量子力学が身の回りの比較的よく知られた「望遠鏡」という装置にまで影響を及ぼすことを示すことで、量子力学の応用可能性をより身近なものにまで広げた。