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Title: Characterizing the dark count rate of a large-format MKID array

We present an empirical measurement of the dark count rate seen in a large-format MKID array identical to those currently in use at observatories such as Subaru on Maunakea. This work provides compelling evidence for their utility in future experiments that require low-count rate, quiet environments such as dark matter direct detection. Across the bandpass from 0.946-1.534 eV (1310-808 nm) an average count rate of (1.847 ± 0.003) × 10−3photons/pixel/s is measured. Breaking this bandpass into 5 equal-energy bins based on the resolving power of the detectors we find the average dark count rate seen in an MKID is (6.26 ± 0.04) × 10−4photons/pixel/s from 0.946-1.063 eV and (2.73 ± 0.02) × 10−4photons/pixel/s at 1.416-1.534eV. Using lower-noise readout electronics to read out a single MKID pixel we demonstrate that the events measured while the detector is not illuminated largely appear to be a combination of real photons, possible fluorescence caused by cosmic rays, and phonon events in the array substrate. We also find that using lower-noise readout electronics on a single MKID pixel we measure a dark count rate of (9.3 ± 0.9) × 10−4photons/pixel/s over the same bandpass (0.946-1.534 eV) With the single-pixel readout we also characterize the events when the detectors are not illuminated and show that these responses in the MKID are distinct more » from photons from known light sources such as a laser, likely coming from cosmic ray excitations.

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Authors:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
NSF-PAR ID:
10400973
Journal Name:
Optics Express
Volume:
31
Issue:
6
Page Range or eLocation-ID:
Article No. 10775
ISSN:
1094-4087; OPEXFF
Publisher:
Optical Society of America
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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