NAOJ ATC Researcher Recognized by IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society Japan Chapter
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Takafumi Kojima, a researcher at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan Advanced Technology Center (NAOJ ATC) won the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society Japan Young Engineer Award at the Microwave Workshops & Exhibition (MWE2018).
Kojima and other researchers have been developing an advanced radio receiver for ALMA. The superconducting device (SIS mixer) at the heart of a receiver limits the bandwidth of radio frequencies that can be observed simultaneously. The bandwidth of current ALMA receivers ranges from 4 GHz to 8 GHz. On the other hand, the “high current density SIS mixer” newly developed by Kojima and his team was verified to cover a bandwidth of approximately 20 GHz with high sensitivity. A new receiver with a 100 GHz bandwith is also in the works. These new devices are expected to open the way for new breakthroughs in radio astronomy.
“I am deeply honored to receive such a prestigious award and grateful to all who have provided support and assistance for this research." said Kojima, "... I will continuously devote myself to research and development in order to make these research results practical for the further advancement of radio astronomy and related fields.”
Part of this research was carried out in collaboration with the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology and the University of Electro-Communications.