# Publications

2019
Ade PAR, Ahmed Z, Aikin RW, Barkats D, Benton SJ, Bischoff CA, Bock JJ, Bowens-Rubin R, Brevik JA, Buder I, et al. BICEP2/Keck Array XI: Beam Characterization and Temperature-to-Polarization Leakage in the BK15 Data Set. The Astrophysical Journal [Internet]. 2019;884 (2) :114. Publisher's VersionAbstract
Precision measurements of cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization require extreme control of instrumental systematics. In a companion paper we have presented cosmological constraints from observations with the BICEP2 and Keck Array experiments up to and including the 2015 observing season (BK15), resulting in the deepest CMB polarization maps to date and a statistical sensitivity to the tensor-to-scalar ratio of σ(r) = 0.020. In this work we characterize the beams and constrain potential systematic contamination from main beam shape mismatch at the three BK15 frequencies (95, 150, and 220 GHz). Far-field maps of 7360 distinct beam patterns taken from 2010–2015 are used to measure differential beam parameters and predict the contribution of temperature-to-polarization leakage to the BK15 B-mode maps. In the multifrequency, multicomponent likelihood analysis that uses BK15, Planck, and Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe maps to separate sky components, we find that adding this predicted leakage to simulations induces a bias of Δr = 0.0027 ± 0.0019. Future results using higher-quality beam maps and improved techniques to detect such leakage in CMB data will substantially reduce this uncertainty, enabling the levels of systematics control needed for BICEP Array and other experiments that plan to definitively probe large-field inflation.
Karkare KS. Delensing degree-scale $B$-mode polarization with high-redshift line intensity mapping. Phys. Rev. D [Internet]. 2019;100 :043529. Publisher's Version
2018
Hui H, Ade P A R, Ahmed Z, Aikin R W, Alexander K D, Barkats D, Benton S J, Bischoff C A, Bock J J, Bowens-Rubin R, et al. BICEP Array: a multi-frequency degree-scale CMB polarimeter, in Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IX. Vol 10708. ; 2018 :1070807.
Redford J, Wheeler J, Karkare K, Hailey-Dunsheath S, Bradford C M, Shirokoff E, Barry P S, Che G, Glenn J, Leduc H G, et al. The design and characterization of a 300 channel, optimized full-band millimeter filterbank for science with SuperSpec, in Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IX. Vol 10708. ; 2018 :107081O.
Crumrine M, Ade P A R, Ahmed Z, Aikin R W, Alexander K D, Barkats D, Benton S J, Bischoff C A, Bock J J, Bowens-Rubin R, et al. BICEP Array cryostat and mount design, in Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IX. Vol 10708. ; 2018 :107082D.
Soliman A, Ade P A R, Ahmed Z, Aikin R W, Alexander K D, Barkats D, Benton S J, Bischoff C A, Bock J J, Bowens-Rubin R, et al. Design and performance of wide-band corrugated walls for the BICEP Array detector modules at 30/40 GHz, in Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IX. Vol 10708. ; 2018 :107082G.
Kang J H, Ade P A R, Ahmed Z, Aikin R W, Alexander K D, Barkats D, Benton S J, Bischoff C A, Bock J J, Boenish H, et al. 2017 upgrade and performance of BICEP3: a 95GHz refracting telescope for degree-scale CMB polarization, in Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IX. Vol 10708. ; 2018 :107082N.
Barkats D, Dierickx M I, Kovac J M, Pentacoff C, Ade P A R, Ahmed Z, Aikin R W, Alexander K D, Benton S J, Bischoff C A, et al. Ultra-thin large-aperture vacuum windows for millimeter wavelengths receivers, in Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IX. Vol 10708. ; 2018 :107082K.
Ade PAR, Ahmed Z, Aikin RW, Alexander KD, Barkats D, Benton SJ, Bischoff CA, Bock JJ, Bowens-Rubin R, Brevik JA, et al. Constraints on Primordial Gravitational Waves Using $Planck$, WMAP, and New BICEP2/$Keck$ Observations through the 2015 Season. Phys. Rev. Lett. [Internet]. 2018;121 :221301. Publisher's Version
Karkare KS, Bird S. Constraining the expansion history and early dark energy with line intensity mapping. Phys. Rev. D [Internet]. 2018;98 :043529. Publisher's Version
2017
Ade PAR, Ahmed Z, Aikin RW, Alexander KD, Barkats D, Benton SJ, Bischoff CA, Bock JJ, Bowens-Rubin R, Brevik JA, et al. BICEP2 / Keck Array IX: New bounds on anisotropies of CMB polarization rotation and implications for axionlike particles and primordial magnetic fields. Phys. Rev. D [Internet]. 2017;96 :102003. Publisher's Version
2016
Ade PAR, Ahmed Z, Aikin RW, Alexander KD, Barkats D, Benton SJ, Bischoff CA, Bock JJ, Bowens-Rubin R, Brevik JA, et al. Bicep2/Keck Array VIII: Measurement of Gravitational Lensing from Large-scale B-mode Polarization. The Astrophysical Journal [Internet]. 2016;833 (2) :228. Publisher's VersionAbstract
We present measurements of polarization lensing using the 150 GHz maps, which include all data taken by the BICEP2 and Keck Array Cosmic Microwave Background polarization experiments up to and including the 2014 observing season (BK14). Despite their modest angular resolution ( ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0004-637X/833/2/228/apjaa3bdcieqn1.gif] $\sim 0\buildrel\circøver. 5$ ), the excellent sensitivity (∼3 μ K-arcmin) of these maps makes it possible to directly reconstruct the lensing potential using only information at larger angular scales ( ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0004-637X/833/2/228/apjaa3bdcieqn2.gif] $\ell łeqslant 700$ ). From the auto-spectrum of the reconstructed potential, we measure an amplitude of the spectrum to be ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0004-637X/833/2/228/apjaa3bdcieqn3.gif] $A_\rmL^\phi \phi =1.15\pm 0.36$ ( Planck ΛCDM prediction corresponds to ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0004-637X/833/2/228/apjaa3bdcieqn4.gif] $A_\rmL^\phi \phi =1$ ) and reject the no-lensing hypothesis at ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0004-637X/833/2/228/apjaa3bdcieqn5.gif] $5.8\sigma$ , which is the highest significance achieved to date using an EB lensing estimator. Taking the cross-spectrum of the reconstructed potential with the Planck 2015 lensing map yields ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0004-637X/833/2/228/apjaa3bdcieqn6.gif] $A_\rmL^\phi \phi =1.13\pm 0.20$ . These direct measurements of ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0004-637X/833/2/228/apjaa3bdcieqn7.gif] $A_\rmL^\phi \phi$ are consistent with the ΛCDM cosmology and with that derived from the previously reported BK14 B -mode auto-spectrum ( ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0004-637X/833/2/228/apjaa3bdcieqn8.gif] $A_\rmL^\mathrmBB=1.20\pm 0.17$ ). We perform a series of null tests and consistency checks to show that these results are robust against systematics and are insensitive to analysis choices. These results unambiguously demonstrate that the B modes previously reported by BICEP / Keck at intermediate angular scales ( ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0004-637X/833/2/228/apjaa3bdcieqn9.gif] $150łesssim \ell łesssim 350$ ) are dominated by gravitational lensing. The good agreement between the lensing amplitudes obtained from the lensing reconstruction and B -mode spectrum starts to place constraints on any alternative cosmological sources of B modes at these angular scales.
Hui H, Ade PAR, Ahmed Z, Alexander KD, Amiri M, Barkats D, Benton SJ, Bischoff CA, Bock JJ, Boenish H, et al. BICEP3 focal plane design and detector performance. Proc. SPIE [Internet]. 2016;9914 :99140T-99140T-11. Publisher's VersionAbstract
BICEP3, the latest telescope in the BICEP/Keck program, started science observations in March 2016. It is a 550mm aperture refractive telescope observing the polarization of the cosmic microwave background at 95 GHz. We show the focal plane design and detector performance, including spectral response, optical efficiency and preliminary sensitivity of the upgraded BICEP3. We demonstrate 9.72 μKCMB√s noise performance of the BICEP3 receiver.
Grayson JA, Ade PAR, Ahmed Z, Alexander KD, Amiri M, Barkats D, Benton SJ, Bischoff CA, Bock JJ, Boenish H, et al. BICEP3 performance overview and planned Keck Array upgrade. Proc. SPIE [Internet]. 2016;9914 :99140S-99140S-17. Publisher's VersionAbstract
Bicep3 is a 520mm aperture, compact two-lens refractor designed to observe the polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) at 95 GHz. Its focal plane consists of modularized tiles of antenna-coupled transition edge sensors (TESs), similar to those used in Bicep2 and the Keck Array. The increased per-receiver optical throughput compared to Bicep2/Keck Array, due to both its faster f=1:7 optics and the larger aperture, more than doubles the combined mapping speed of the Bicep/Keck program. The Bicep3 receiver was recently upgraded to a full complement of 20 tiles of detectors (2560 TESs) and is now beginning its second year of observation (and first science season) at the South Pole. We report on its current performance and observing plans. Given its high per-receiver throughput while maintaining the advantages of a compact design, Bicep3- class receivers are ideally suited as building blocks for a 3rd-generation CMB experiment, consisting of multiple receivers spanning 35 GHz to 270 GHz with total detector count in the tens of thousands. We present plans for such an array, the new "BICEP Array" that will replace the Keck Array at the South Pole, including design optimization, frequency coverage, and deployment/observing strategies.
Karkare KS, Ade PAR, Ahmed Z, Alexander KD, Amiri M, Barkats D, Benton SJ, Bischoff CA, Bock JJ, Boenish H, et al. Optical characterization of the BICEP3 CMB polarimeter at the South Pole. Proc. SPIE [Internet]. 2016;9914 :991430-991430-17. Publisher's VersionAbstract
BICEP3 is a small-aperture refracting cosmic microwave background (CMB) telescope designed to make sensitive polarization maps in pursuit of a potential B-mode signal from inflationary gravitational waves. It is the latest in the Bicep/Keck Array series of CMB experiments located at the South Pole, which has provided the most stringent constraints on inflation to date. For the 2016 observing season, BICEP3 was outfitted with a full suite of 2400 optically coupled detectors operating at 95 GHz. In these proceedings we report on the far field beam performance using calibration data taken during the 2015-2016 summer deployment season in situ with a thermal chopped source. We generate high-fidelity per-detector beam maps, show the array-averaged beam profile, and characterize the differential beam response between co-located, orthogonally polarized detectors which contributes to the leading instrumental systematic in pair differencing experiments. We find that the levels of differential pointing, beamwidth, and ellipticity are similar to or lower than those measured for Bicep2 and Keck Array. The magnitude and distribution of Bicep3’s differential beam mismatch – and the level to which temperature-to-polarization leakage may be marginalized over or subtracted in analysis - will inform the design of next-generation CMB experiments with many thousands of detectors.
Wu WLK, Ade PAR, Ahmed Z, Alexander KD, Amiri M, Barkats D, Benton SJ, Bischoff CA, Bock JJ, Bowens-Rubin R, et al. Initial Performance of Bicep3: A Degree Angular Scale 95 GHz Band Polarimeter. Journal of Low Temperature Physics [Internet]. 2016;184 (3) :765–771. Publisher's VersionAbstract
Bicep3 is a 550-mm aperture telescope with cold, on-axis, refractive optics designed to observe at the 95-GHz band from the South Pole. It is the newest member of the Bicep/Keck family of inflationary probes specifically designed to measure the polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) at degree angular scales. Bicep3 is designed to house 1280 dual-polarization pixels, which, when fully populated, totals to \$\$\backslashsim \$\$ ∼ 9 \$\$\backslashtimes \$\$ × the number of pixels in a single Keck 95-GHz receiver, thus further advancing the Bicep/Keck program's 95 GHz mapping speed. Bicep3 was deployed during the austral summer of 2014–2015 with nine detector tiles, to be increased to its full capacity of 20 in the second season. After instrument characterization, measurements were taken, and CMB observation commenced in April 2015. Together with multi-frequency observation data from Planck, Bicep2, and the Keck Array, Bicep3 is projected to set upper limits on the tensor-to-scalar ratio to \$\$r \backslashlesssim 0.03\$\$ r ≲ 0.03 at 95 % C.L.
Ade PAR, Ahmed Z, Aikin RW, Alexander KD, Barkats D, Benton SJ, Bischoff CA, Bock JJ, Bowens-Rubin R, Brevik JA, et al. BICEP2/Keck Array. VII. Matrix Based E/B Separation Applied to Bicep2 and the Keck Array. The Astrophysical Journal [Internet]. 2016;825 (1) :66. Publisher's VersionAbstract
A linear polarization field on the sphere can be uniquely decomposed into an E -mode and a B -mode component. These two components are analytically defined in terms of spin-2 spherical harmonics. Maps that contain filtered modes on a partial sky can also be decomposed into E -mode and B -mode components. However, the lack of full sky information prevents orthogonally separating these components using spherical harmonics. In this paper, we present a technique for decomposing an incomplete map into E and B -mode components using E and B eigenmodes of the pixel covariance in the observed map. This method is found to orthogonally define E and B in the presence of both partial sky coverage and spatial filtering. This method has been applied to the Bicep2 and the Keck Array maps and results in reducing E to B leakage from ΛCDM E -modes to a level corresponding to a tensor-to-scalar ratio of ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0004-637X/825/1/66/apjaa27d7ieqn1.gif] $rłt 1\times 10^-4$ .
Ade PAR, Ahmed Z, Aikin RW, Alexander KD, Barkats D, Benton SJ, Bischoff CA, Bock JJ, Bowens-Rubin R, Brevik JA, et al. Improved Constraints on Cosmology and Foregrounds from BICEP2 and Keck Array Cosmic Microwave Background Data with Inclusion of 95 GHz Band. Phys. Rev. Lett. [Internet]. 2016;116 :031302. Publisher's Version
2015
Ade PAR, Aikin RW, Barkats D, Benton SJ, Bischoff CA, Bock JJ, Brevik JA, Buder I, Bullock E, Dowell CD, et al. Bicep2 III: Instrumental Systematics. The Astrophysical Journal [Internet]. 2015;814 (2) :110. Publisher's VersionAbstract
In a companion paper, we have reported a >5 σ detection of degree scale B -mode polarization at 150 GHz by the Bicep 2 experiment. Here we provide a detailed study of potential instrumental systematic contamination to that measurement. We focus extensively on spurious polarization that can potentially arise from beam imperfections. We present a heuristic classification of beam imperfections according to their symmetries and uniformities, and discuss how resulting contamination adds or cancels in maps that combine observations made at multiple orientations of the telescope about its boresight axis. We introduce a technique, which we call “deprojection,” for filtering the leading order beam-induced contamination from time-ordered data, and show that it reduces power in Bicep 2's actual and null-test BB spectra consistent with predictions using high signal-to-noise beam shape measurements. We detail the simulation pipeline that we use to directly simulate instrumental systematics and the calibration data used as input to that pipeline. Finally, we present the constraints on BB contamination from individual sources of potential systematics. We find that systematics contribute BB power that is a factor of ∼10× below Bicep 2's three-year statistical uncertainty, and negligible compared to the observed BB signal. The contribution to the best-fit tensor/scalar ratio is at a level equivalent to r = (3–6) × 10 −3 .
Ade PAR, Aikin RW, Amiri M, Barkats D, Benton SJ, Bischoff CA, Bock JJ, Bonetti JA, Brevik JA, Buder I, et al. Antenna-coupled TES Bolometers Used in BICEP2, Keck Array, and Spider. The Astrophysical Journal [Internet]. 2015;812 :176. Publisher's VersionAbstract
We have developed antenna-coupled transition-edge sensor bolometers for a wide range of cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarimetry experiments, including Bicep2 , Keck Array , and the balloon borne Spider . These detectors have reached maturity and this paper reports on their design principles, overall performance, and key challenges associated with design and production. Our detector arrays repeatedly produce spectral bands with 20%–30% bandwidth at 95, 150, or 230 GHz. The integrated antenna arrays synthesize symmetric co-aligned beams with controlled side-lobe levels. Cross-polarized response on boresight is typically ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0004-637X/812/2/176/apj519048ieqn1.gif] $\sim 0.5%$ , consistent with cross-talk in our multiplexed readout system. End-to-end optical efficiencies in our cameras are routinely 35% or higher, with per detector sensitivities of NET ∼ 300 ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0004-637X/812/2/176/apj519048ieqn2.gif] $μ \rmK_\mathrmCMB\sqrt\rms$ . Thanks to the scalability of this design, we have deployed 2560 detectors as 1280 matched pairs in Keck Array with a combined instantaneous sensitivity of ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/0004-637X/812/2/176/apj519048ieqn3.gif] $\sim 9\;μ \rmK_\mathrmCMB\sqrt\rms$ , as measured directly from CMB maps in the 2013 season. Similar arrays have recently flown in the Spider instrument, and development of this technology is ongoing.