This work involves a number of activities ranging from the engineering of large, high-precision antennas through to the development of sub-micron superconducting detectors. Most of the work is aimed at constructing low-noise instrumentation, covering the frequency range 200-700GHz, for the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope in Hawaii. The basic research programme is highly relevant to the activities of many different organisations: we are involved the the development of high-frequency superconducting detectors for ESA's submillimetre-wave satellite, FIRST; we are involved in planning a technical programme for the development of low-noise instrumentation for a large multi-element submillimeter-wave interferometer (LSA); and we are involved in investigating theoretical techniques for modelling and measuring the behaviour of submillimetre-wave optical systems over the frequency range 1-10THz.

As part of our theoretical optics work, we have developed a variety of techniques for propagating and scattering coherent and partially coherent beams through complicated systems of submillimeter-wave optical components, and as part of our superconducting mixer work, we have constructed detailed electromagnetic models for a variety of miniature superconducting transmission structures and circuits. At the present time, the instrumentation programme is concentrating on the development of a large-format, focal-plane imaging array for the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope, and the development of techniques for measuring atmospheric path length by means of radiometry.

Last Modified 21 January 2004
Please send comments to Stafford Withington.