Left hand millimetre wave devices for the detection of the primordial gravitational waves – COSMOS

The detection of the primordial gravity waves is one of the most exciting challenges in nowadays experimental physics. One way to achieve that is to measure the so called B-modes of polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background. However, an important lack in microwave devices technology limits our capability to detect the desired signal. Indeed, besides the required sensitivity, this detection needs immunity to instrumental systematic effects. This immunity can be achieved by an assembly of very efficient devices in order to realize advanced detection architectures. The planar technology associated with left-handed materials (metamaterials) can provide us with precious solutions that would allow solving problems like miniaturization (for detectors arrays) and wideband components giving coupling, filtering or fast modulation functions. This is the reason why we put a special R&D effort in synergy with three research laboratories having different but complementary expertise fields. The starting point is the knowledge that provides Institut d’Electronique Fondamentale (IEF) in the field of IEF. Moreover, IEF, via the technology center MINERVE, provides important clean room facilities that we will use to fabricate our devices. The AstroParticule et Cosmologie laboratory provides cryogenic test facilities at 4K and at millimeter wavelengths to characterize the planar NbN made devices. It also makes the link with observational cosmology through its participation to the QUBIC project (Q and U bolometric interferometer for cosmology). Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale has an expertise in the bolometric detectors field. Hence will they be in charge of studying, improving and testing the coupling between the realized devices and bolometers.