Damian Audley

Instrument Scientist in LEA Division at SRON
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Contact Information
us****@****om
(386) 825-5501
Location
Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands, NL
Languages
  • English Native or bilingual proficiency
  • Irish Native or bilingual proficiency
  • Dutch Professional working proficiency
  • Japanese Professional working proficiency
  • French Limited working proficiency
  • German Elementary proficiency

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Bio

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Credentials

  • Digital Signal Processing
    Coursera Course Certificates
    Dec, 2015
    - Nov, 2024
  • Prince 2 Foundation
    APMG-International
    May, 2015
    - Nov, 2024
  • Machine Learning
    Coursera
    Dec, 2014
    - Nov, 2024

Experience

  • SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research
    • Netherlands
    • Research Services
    • 100 - 200 Employee
    • Instrument Scientist in LEA Division
      • Jan 2010 - Present

      SAFARI, a far infrared imaging spectrometer, will be the prime instrument on board the SPICA infrared observatory satellite. I have built up and optimized the SAFARI Detector Optical Test Facility, a world-leading ultra-low noise optical testbed which will be used to characterize the SAFARI focal plane assembly at millikelvin temperatures. I have defined and am performing characterisation measurements of the electrical and optical properties of the SAFARI detector arrays. I have carried out detailed analysis and modelling of these measurements and am contributing to the development of the space-qualified detector arrays and their readout system. Show less

  • University of Cambridge
    • United Kingdom
    • Research Services
    • 700 & Above Employee
    • Visiting Scientist
      • Jan 2010 - Mar 2010

      CLOVER was an experiment to measure the B-mode polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background with the aim of detecting primordial gravitational waves. I completed the testing of the full set of CLOVER detector modules, documented our team's technical achievements, and published the test results to close out the CLOVER project.

    • Research Associate
      • May 2005 - Dec 2009

      I took the lead in developing, testing, and optimising superconducting microstrip-coupled transition edge sensor (TES) detectors for CLOVER, including the design and commissioning of a millikelvin cryo-cooler test facility, which I used for characterising the electrical and optical properties of the detector arrays. I planned and coordinated all of the technical work at Cambridge on the CLOVER detectors, detector mounting, and readout. I provided the technical and management interface to the CLOVER project as a whole, reporting on technical progress, and controlling interfaces between the detector modules and the rest of the instrument. Working closely with collaborators at NIST and UBC, I adapted the SCUBA-2 room-temperature electronics for use with CLOVER and characterised and optimised the multiplexed SQUID readout. I was responsible for delivering the fully-tested detector modules with readout, magnetic shielding, and wiring to the CLOVER instrument. Show less

  • UK Astronomy Technology Centre
    • United Kingdom
    • Research Services
    • 1 - 100 Employee
    • Instrument Scientist for SCUBA-2
      • 2001 - 2005

      SCUBA-2 is a highly successful large-format submillimeter camera using TES bolometers operating on the James Clerk Maxwell telescope in Hawaii. I defined and led the SCUBA-2 sub-array test program and the cryostat integration and test program and ensured that the instrument design complied with the functional and performance requirements. I created an end-to-end model of the responsivity and noise properties of the detector system as well as a dynamic thermal model to validate the cryostat thermal design. I used finite-element electromagnetic modelling to design the absorbers on the SCUBA-2 detectors and to design and validate the cryostat magnetic shielding. I developed a millikelvin chip holder for large-format detector arrays and built and ran a liquid helium dip-probe test facility for SQUID multiplexers. I identified and evaluated new detector technologies for submillimeter and infrared astronomy and started and led a project to develop a multi-channel readout for kinetic inductance detector arrays. Continuing my astronomical research, I investigated the dust-scattered X-ray haloes of X-ray binaries using observations with XMM-Newton. Show less

  • Institute of Space and Astronautical Science
    • Sagamihara, Japan
    • JSPS Postdoctoral Research Fellow
      • 1999 - 2001

      The X-Ray Spectrometer (XRS) was a 32-element array of X-ray microcalorimeters for the Japanese X-ray astronomy satellite ASTRO-E. I participated in calibration and functional testing of the XRS instrument all the way from its delivery to ISAS through integration into the satellite to launch. This involved intensive calibration campaigns at ISAS and Sumitomo Heavy Industries, and a month of spacecraft checkout and pre-launch activities at Kagoshima Space Center. Meanwhile I continued my astronomical research, studying the dust-scattered X-ray haloes of X-ray binaries using observations with ASCA. I also participated in the development of Mo/Au TES microcalorimeters for X-ray astronomy at ISAS. Show less

  • NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
    • United States
    • Defense & Space
    • 700 & Above Employee
    • Calibration Scientist for XRS (University of Maryland Contractor)
      • 1997 - 1999

      I worked as calibration scientist for XRS in the X-ray Astrophysics Branch at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center where I participated in planning, execution, and analysis of the XRS ground calibration. This included construction and operation of ground calibration facilities with radioactive and electron-impact X-ray sources; crystal and grating X-ray monochromators; and imaging CCD X-ray detectors, followed by an intensive calibration campaign. I helped to plan the in-flight calibration program and created and distributed calibration products for guest observers. I also calibrated the XRS optical blocking filters by measuring their X-ray transmission spectra and characterised the quantum efficiency and energy resolution of the detectors. Show less

  • University of Maryland
    • United States
    • Higher Education
    • 700 & Above Employee
    • Research Assistant
      • 1991 - 1997

      I carried out my dissertation research in the X-ray Astrophysics Branch at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center where I developed magnetic-penetration-thermometer microcalorimeters for X-ray astronomy and studied accretion processes in high-mass X-ray binaries with EXOSAT, BBXRT, ASCA, and RXTE. I carried out my dissertation research in the X-ray Astrophysics Branch at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center where I developed magnetic-penetration-thermometer microcalorimeters for X-ray astronomy and studied accretion processes in high-mass X-ray binaries with EXOSAT, BBXRT, ASCA, and RXTE.

Education

  • University of Maryland
    Ph.D.
    1989 - 1997
  • University College Cork
    M.Sc.
    1987 - 1989
  • University College Cork
    B.Sc.
    1983 - 1987

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