Antenna-coupled TES Bolometer Arrays for BICEP2/Keck and SPIDER
  BICEP2/Keck and SPIDER are cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarimeters
targeting the B-mode polarization induced by primordial gravitational waves
from inflation. They will be using planar arrays of polarization sensitive
antenna-coupled TES bolometers, operating at frequencies between 90 GHz and 220
GHz. At 150 GHz each array consists of 64 polarimeters and four of these arrays
are assembled together to make a focal plane, for a total of 256
dual-polarization elements (512 TES sensors). The detector arrays are
integrated with a time-domain SQUID multiplexer developed at NIST and read out
using the multi-channels electronics (MCE) developed at the University of
British Columbia. Following our progress in improving detector parameters
uniformity across the arrays and fabrication yield, our main effort has focused
on improving detector arrays optical and noise performances, in order to
produce science grade focal planes achieving target sensitivities. We report on
changes in detector design implemented to optimize such performances and
following focal plane arrays characterization. BICEP2 has deployed a first 150
GHz science grade focal plane to the South Pole in December 2009.
