Astronomical MKIDS

Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KIDs) are a novel superconducting detector technology that promise to be the next revolution in detector technology for astronomy. In the UV/Optical/IR (UVOIR) regime each pixel has the intrinsic ability to deliver read-noise free, low-resolution spectroscopy by measuring the arrival time and energy of individual photons. The key advantage of KIDs over similar superconducting detectors is that they can be easily multiplexed into large arrays.

The current focus of KID research focusses on their use as a highly efficient, medium spectral resolution spectrograph for use in astronomical observations of a wide range of objects, from high redshift galaxies to the extreme end-points of stellar evolution, including the precursors to gravitational wave sources. These are made possible due to the unique properties of KIDs.