Development of an Ultra-wide band Receiver for the North America Array
The North America Array (NAA), also known as the next-generation Very Large Array (ngVLA), is a concept for a radio astronomical interferometric array operating in the frequency range 1.2 GHz to 116 GHz and designed to provide substantial improvements in sensitivity, angular resolution, and frequency coverage while reducing operational costs compared to the current Jansky Very Large Array (JVLA). At JPL, we are designing a single receiver package designed to operate across the 8 to 48 GHz frequency range, in contrast to the current JVLA, which covers this frequency range with five receiver packages. Reducing the number of receiving systems required to cover the full frequency range would reduce operating costs. We are developing a prototype integrated feed-receiver package with a system noise temperature that meets the requirements of the ngVLA/NAA primary science programs, with a design that meets the requirement of low long-term operational costs. The receiver package being developed at JPL consists of a feed horn, low-noise amplifier (LNA), and down-converters to analog intermediate frequencies. We report on the status of this receiver package development.