Broadband Compact Focal Plane Receiver Unit of a Radio Telescope Based on a Stirling Cryocooler
Transactions of IAA RAS, issue 76, 17–24 (2026)
DOI: 10.32876/ApplAstron.76.17-24
Keywords: mobile radio telescope, broadband receiving system, noise temperature, Allan variance, Stirling cryocooler
About the paper Full textAbstract
Utilizing compact mobile radio telescopes (with primary dish diameter less than 5 m) will expand the capabilities of the existing natioanal radio interferometric network “Quasar-KVO” (Institute of Applied Astronomy RAS). Radio interferometers equipped with radio telescopes capable of adaptively changing their geographic position will enable improved angular resolution at verious declinations of near and deep space objects. A receiving system with a cryogenically cooled frontend is a critical component of the compact radio telescope. This system must be both compact and light weight. Сooling for the mobile radio telescope`s receiving frontend is provided by a compact Striling cryocooler, allowing the broadband focal receiving unit to be cooled down to 140 K. Although cryogenic systems temperature based on a Stirling crycooler does not reach the hydrogen temperatures, as it is technically implemented in larger radio telescopes such as RT–32 and RT–13, the Stirling cryocooler is well-suited for compact systems where minimizing the size of the cryogenic system is essential. Therefore, research into cryogenic receivers based on Stirling cryocoolers is increasingly relevant for achieving the lowest possible noise temperatures. This paper presents a technique for measuring the noise temperature of a radio telescope broadband, compact focal receiving unit at low physical temperatures. It was achieved using a compact Stirling cryocooler. Results and analysis of noise temperature measurement are prvided for two receiver configurations. The developed unit achieves a noise temperature of no greater than 200 K across the operating frequency band (3–15.5 GHz), and no more than 100 K within the 5–11 GHz range. Additionally, results regarding output noise level instability and Allan variance analysis are presented based on the measured data.
Citation
M. B. Zotov, Yu. V. Vekshin, S. I. Ivanov, I. A. Pozdnyakov, E. S. Haleenkova. Broadband Compact Focal Plane Receiver Unit of a Radio Telescope Based on a Stirling Cryocooler // Transactions of IAA RAS. — 2026. — Issue 76. — P. 17–24.
@article{zotov2026,
abstract = {Utilizing compact mobile radio telescopes (with primary dish diameter less than 5 m) will expand the capabilities of the existing natioanal radio interferometric network “Quasar-KVO” (Institute of Applied Astronomy RAS). Radio interferometers equipped with radio telescopes capable of adaptively changing their geographic position will enable improved angular resolution at verious declinations of near and deep space objects.
A receiving system with a cryogenically cooled frontend is a critical component of the compact radio telescope. This system must be both compact and light weight. Сooling for the mobile radio telescope`s receiving frontend is provided by a compact Striling cryocooler, allowing the broadband focal receiving unit to be cooled down to 140 K.
Although cryogenic systems temperature based on a Stirling crycooler does not reach the hydrogen temperatures, as it is technically implemented in larger radio telescopes such as RT–32 and RT–13, the Stirling cryocooler is well-suited for compact systems where minimizing the size of the cryogenic system is essential. Therefore, research into cryogenic receivers based on Stirling cryocoolers is increasingly relevant for achieving the lowest possible noise temperatures.
This paper presents a technique for measuring the noise temperature of a radio telescope broadband, compact focal receiving unit at low physical temperatures. It was achieved using a compact Stirling cryocooler. Results and analysis of noise temperature measurement are prvided for two receiver configurations. The developed unit achieves a noise temperature of no greater than 200 K across the operating frequency band (3–15.5 GHz), and no more than 100 K within the 5–11 GHz range. Additionally, results regarding output noise level instability and Allan variance analysis are presented based on the measured data.},
author = {M.~B. Zotov and Yu.~V. Vekshin and S.~I. Ivanov and I.~A. Pozdnyakov and E.~S. Haleenkova},
doi = {10.32876/ApplAstron.76.17-24},
issue = {76},
journal = {Transactions of IAA RAS},
keyword = {mobile radio telescope, broadband receiving system, noise temperature, Allan variance, Stirling cryocooler},
pages = {17--24},
title = {Broadband Compact Focal Plane Receiver Unit of a Radio Telescope Based on a Stirling Cryocooler},
url = {http://iaaras.ru/en/library/paper/2237/},
year = {2026}
}
TY - JOUR
TI - Broadband Compact Focal Plane Receiver Unit of a Radio Telescope Based on a Stirling Cryocooler
AU - Zotov, M. B.
AU - Vekshin, Yu. V.
AU - Ivanov, S. I.
AU - Pozdnyakov, I. A.
AU - Haleenkova, E. S.
PY - 2026
T2 - Transactions of IAA RAS
IS - 76
SP - 17
AB - Utilizing compact mobile radio telescopes (with primary dish diameter
less than 5 m) will expand the capabilities of the existing natioanal
radio interferometric network “Quasar-KVO” (Institute of Applied
Astronomy RAS). Radio interferometers equipped with radio telescopes
capable of adaptively changing their geographic position will enable
improved angular resolution at verious declinations of near and deep
space objects. A receiving system with a cryogenically cooled
frontend is a critical component of the compact radio telescope. This
system must be both compact and light weight. Сooling for the mobile
radio telescope`s receiving frontend is provided by a compact
Striling cryocooler, allowing the broadband focal receiving unit to
be cooled down to 140 K. Although cryogenic systems temperature
based on a Stirling crycooler does not reach the hydrogen
temperatures, as it is technically implemented in larger radio
telescopes such as RT–32 and RT–13, the Stirling cryocooler is well-
suited for compact systems where minimizing the size of the cryogenic
system is essential. Therefore, research into cryogenic receivers
based on Stirling cryocoolers is increasingly relevant for achieving
the lowest possible noise temperatures. This paper presents a
technique for measuring the noise temperature of a radio telescope
broadband, compact focal receiving unit at low physical temperatures.
It was achieved using a compact Stirling cryocooler. Results and
analysis of noise temperature measurement are prvided for two
receiver configurations. The developed unit achieves a noise
temperature of no greater than 200 K across the operating frequency
band (3–15.5 GHz), and no more than 100 K within the 5–11 GHz range.
Additionally, results regarding output noise level instability and
Allan variance analysis are presented based on the measured data.
DO - 10.32876/ApplAstron.76.17-24
UR - http://iaaras.ru/en/library/paper/2237/
ER -