Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
I have experience in design and characterization of radiation detectors, in particular: - superconducting microcalorimeters for single-photon detection like Transition-Edge Senosors (TES) for metrological application and for space observatories; - superconducting bolometers (TESs) for mid- and far-infrared for astronomical research; - IR-optical (LED-based) radiometer for ground-based environment monitoring applications. I am involved in many scientific projects (to mention but a few): - X-IFU/ATHENA space telescope - work package leaders in ESA CTP1 and CTP2 "TES Detector Development for Athena / X-IFU Optimization of a European Transition Edge Sensor Array" - SAFARI/SPICA space telescope Skill in: - working with different refrigerator systems (dilution refrigerator, cryocooler, He3 and ADR); - working with low noise and very sensible magnetometer for extremely low current or magnetic flux measurements. - working with electronic and optical instrumentation and their remote control with LabVIEW, Python and MATLAB. - working with metrological instruments such as double monochromators, integrating spheres, calibrated photosensors and radiometers calibration systems.
At SRON, I am involved in the design and in the characterization of the large format TES array for different scientific projects: - X-IFU/ATHENA ( how does ordinary matter assemble into large scale structure that we observe today and how do black holes grow and shape the Universe?) - ESA CTP2 (TES Detector Development for Athena / X-IFU Optimization of a European Transition Edge Sensor Array) - SPICA/SAFARI (to investigate for example how the first galaxies formed and how this formation rate developed over time)
My current research interests include quantities related to photometry and radiometry in the frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum from microwaves to optical radiation, and quantum optics. In this framework, I am interested to: - Photon Number Resolving Detectors - Perform SI-traceable spectral radiance measurements from space, a prototype sensor for climate monitoring was designed and built, consisting of radiometers with LEDs as wavelength-selective photodetectors - Perform a ground-based instrument, which is required to take simultaneous, angularly, and spectral resolved earth reflectance and sky irradiance measurements, which will be used for estimating spectrally resolved albedo quantities.