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Dr Tom Brien
Teams and roles for Tom Brien
Research Fellow
Physics & Astronomy
Research Fellow
Astronomy Instrumentation Group
Cardiff Hub for Astrophysics Research and Technology
Overview
My research is based on developing the next generation of astronomical instrumentation for use in the sub-millimetre and far infrared regimes. I concentrate on the development of hyper-sensitive, high-pixel count detector arrays using the LEKID architecture and also the design and commissioning of the sub-Kelvin cryogenic cooling platforms that are required for these detectors.
I am the cryogenic development lead for the MUSCAT instrument on the Large Millimeter Telescope in Mexico. The bespoke cooling system of MUSCAT, developed in close partnership with commercial partners, utilises novel continuously operating helium sorption fridges combined with a miniature dilution fridge to provide a detector-stage temperature of 100 mK (-273.05°C, 0.1°C above absolute zero). A unique feature of this system is that, compared to similar systems, MUSCAT uses very little helium-3 which is scarce and expensive.
The detectors I develop have applications in studying the light from other galaxies, helping to understand for stars form and study the cosmic microwave background (a remnant of the Big Bang).
Publication
2026
- Savorgnano, S. et al., 2026. Noise characterization of line intensity mapping observations with SuMAC at the LMT [Poster]. Proceedings of SPIE 14156 166. (10.1117/12.3104039)
- Becerril-Tapia, M. et al. 2026. SuMaC: on-sky demonstration of multipixel on-chip millimeter-wave spectroscopy at the Large Millimeter Telescope. Presented at: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2026 Copenhagen, Denmark 5-11 July 2026. Published in: Zmuidzinas, J. and Gao, J. eds. Proceedings Volume 14156: Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy XIII. Vol. 14156.[SuMaC: on-sky demonstration of multipixel on-chip millimeter-wave spectroscopy at the Large Millimeter Telescope]. Society of Photo-optical Instrumentation Engineers. , pp.1415607. (10.1117/12.3105526)
- Brien, T. L. R. et al. 2026. Array-scale performance of polarisation-sensitive kinetic inductance detectors for sub-95 GHz applications [Poster]. Proceedings of SPIE 14156 (10.1117/12.3105119)
- Redford, J. et al., 2026. Noise and sensitivity analysis of SuMaC on-sky and in lab [Poster]. Proceedings of SPIE 14156 (10.1117/12.3105686)
- Becerril-Tapia, M. et al. 2026. Mapping large CMB-KID arrays through LED scanner [Poster]. Presented at: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation 2026 Copenhagen, Denmark 5-10 July 2026. Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy XIII. Vol. 14156.[Mapping large CMB-KID arrays through LED scanner]. SPIE. , pp.92. (10.1117/12.3105449)
- Lapuente, A. et al., 2026. Data reduction pipeline for the SuMAC millimeter-wave spectrometer at the LMT [Poster]. Presented at: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2026 Copenhagen, Denmark 5-10 July 2026. Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy XIII. Vol. 14156.[Data reduction pipeline for the SuMAC millimeter-wave spectrometer at the LMT]. SPIE(10.1117/12.3105695)
- Abril-Cabezas, I. et al., 2026. The Simons Observatory: forecasted constraints on primordial gravitational waves with the expanded array of Small Aperture Telescopes. Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics 2026 (04) 051. (10.1088/1475-7516/2026/04/051)
2025
- Abitbol, M. et al., 2025. The Simons Observatory: science goals and forecasts for the enhanced Large Aperture Telescope. Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics 2025 (8) 34. (10.1088/1475-7516/2025/08/034)
- The Simons Observatory Collaboration, et al., 2025. The Simons Observatory: Science goals and forecasts for the enhanced large aperture telescope. arXiv (10.48550/arXiv.2503.00636)
2024
- Woodhead, C. et al. 2024. Design and commissioning of a UHV sputter system for the fabrication of superconducting TiN KID’s using High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering. Presented at: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation 2024 Yokohama, Japan 16 - 21 June 2024. Published in: Zmuidzinas, J. and Gao, J. eds. Proceedings Volume PC13102, Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy XII. SPIE(10.1117/12.3019852)
2023
- Cuenca, J. A. et al. 2023. Superconducting boron doped nanocrystalline diamond microwave coplanar resonator. Carbon 201 , pp.251-259. (10.1016/j.carbon.2022.08.084)
2022
- Gascard, T. et al. 2022. Pixel design for FIR/mm/submm astronomy constituted of a set of antenna-coupled superconducting detectors feeding a metamaterial-based lenslet. Presented at: Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy XI Montreal, Canada 17-23 July 2022. Proceedings Volume 12190 Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy XI. Vol. 12190.SPIE. (10.1117/12.2627848)
2020
- Brien, T. et al. 2020. Pre-deployment verification and predicted mapping speed of MUSCAT. Presented at: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation 2020 Virtual 14-18 December 2020. Proceedings Volume 11453, Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy X. Vol. 11453.SPIE. , pp.1145303. (10.1117/12.2561305)
- Brien, T. L. R. et al. 2020. Performance and deployment status of MUSCAT: a 1500-pixel LEKID-based mm-wave camera for the large millimeter telescope. Presented at: 45th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves (IRMMW-THz) Buffalo, USA 8-13 Nov 2020. 45th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves (IRMMW-THz). (10.1109/IRMMW-THz46771.2020.9370760)
- Gómez-Rivera, V. et al., 2020. Design and characterization of the MUSCAT detectors. Presented at: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation 2020 Virtual 14-18 December 2020. Proceedings Volume 11453, Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy X. Vol. 11453.SPIE. , pp.114531Q. (10.1117/12.2576334)
- Tapia, M. et al., 2020. MUSCAT focal plane verification. Presented at: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation 2020 Virtual 14-18 December 2020. Proceedings Volume 11453, Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy X;. Vol. 11453.SPIE. , pp.1145309. (10.1117/12.2576219)
2019
- Chase, S. T. et al., 2019. Pre-cooling a 3He/4He dilutor module with a sealed closed-cycle continuous cooler. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering 502 012134. (10.1088/1757-899X/502/1/012134)
2018
- Brien, T. L. R. et al. 2018. A continuous 100-mK helium-light cooling system for MUSCAT on the LMT. Journal of Low Temperature Physics 193 (5-6), pp.805-812. (10.1007/s10909-018-2024-y)
- Castillo, E. et al. 2018. Mexico-UK sub-millimeter camera for astronomy. Journal of Low Temperature Physics 193 (5-6), pp.1010-1015. (10.1007/s10909-018-2018-9)
- Morozov, D. et al., 2018. Design and characterisation of titanium nitride subarrays of kinetic inductance detectors for passive terahertz imaging. Journal of Low Temperature Physics 193 (3-4), pp.196-202. (10.1007/s10909-018-2023-z)
- Brien, T. et al. 2018. MUSCAT: The Mexico-UK Sub-Millimetre Camera for AsTronomy. Presented at: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2018 Austin, TX, USA 10-15 June 2018. Published in: Zmuidzinas, J. and Gao, J. eds. Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IX. Vol. 10708.SPIE(10.1117/12.2313697)
2016
- Brien, T. L. et al. 2016. A cryogenic testbed for the characterisation of large detector arrays for astronomical and Earth-observing applications in the near to very-long-wavelength infrared. Presented at: Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2016: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave Edinburgh 26 June - 1 July 2016. Proc. SPIE 9904, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2016: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave. Vol. 99045H.Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)(10.1117/12.2234403)
- Brien, T. et al. 2016. Optical response of strained- and unstrained-silicon cold-electron bolometers. Journal of Low Temperature Physics 184 , pp.231-237. (10.1007/s10909-016-1569-x)
- Rowe, S. et al. 2016. A passive terahertz video camera based on lumped element kinetic inductance detectors. Review of Scientific Instruments 87 (3) 033105. (10.1063/1.4941661)
2015
- Brien, T. 2015. The silicon cold-electron bolometer. PhD Thesis , Cardiff University and Warwick University.
- Brien, T. et al. 2015. Optical characterisation of a strained-silicon cold-electron bolometer at 160 GHz. Presented at: 2015 8th UK, Europe, China Millimeter Waves and THz Technology Workshop (UCMMT) Cardiff, UK 14-15 Sept. 2015. http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/mostRecentIssue.jsp?punumber=7455173. , pp.1-4. (10.1109/UCMMT.2015.7460630)
2014
- Brien, T. L. et al. 2014. A strained silicon cold electron bolometer using Schottky contacts. Applied Physics Letters 105 043509. (10.1063/1.4892069)
2013
- Whall, T. E. et al., 2013. Cooltronics: a new low-temperature tunneling technology based on silicon. Presented at: 4th International Conference on Ultimate Integration on Silicon Coventry, UK 19-21 March 2013. ULIS, 2013: 14th International Conference on Ultimate Integration on Silicon, University of Warwick, 19th-21st March, 2013. Piscataway, N.J.: IEEE. , pp.1-4. (10.1109/ULIS.2013.6523477)
Articles
- Savorgnano, S. et al., 2026. Noise characterization of line intensity mapping observations with SuMAC at the LMT [Poster]. Proceedings of SPIE 14156 166. (10.1117/12.3104039)
- Brien, T. L. R. et al. 2026. Array-scale performance of polarisation-sensitive kinetic inductance detectors for sub-95 GHz applications [Poster]. Proceedings of SPIE 14156 (10.1117/12.3105119)
- Redford, J. et al., 2026. Noise and sensitivity analysis of SuMaC on-sky and in lab [Poster]. Proceedings of SPIE 14156 (10.1117/12.3105686)
- Abril-Cabezas, I. et al., 2026. The Simons Observatory: forecasted constraints on primordial gravitational waves with the expanded array of Small Aperture Telescopes. Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics 2026 (04) 051. (10.1088/1475-7516/2026/04/051)
- Abitbol, M. et al., 2025. The Simons Observatory: science goals and forecasts for the enhanced Large Aperture Telescope. Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics 2025 (8) 34. (10.1088/1475-7516/2025/08/034)
- The Simons Observatory Collaboration, et al., 2025. The Simons Observatory: Science goals and forecasts for the enhanced large aperture telescope. arXiv (10.48550/arXiv.2503.00636)
- Cuenca, J. A. et al. 2023. Superconducting boron doped nanocrystalline diamond microwave coplanar resonator. Carbon 201 , pp.251-259. (10.1016/j.carbon.2022.08.084)
- Chase, S. T. et al., 2019. Pre-cooling a 3He/4He dilutor module with a sealed closed-cycle continuous cooler. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering 502 012134. (10.1088/1757-899X/502/1/012134)
- Brien, T. L. R. et al. 2018. A continuous 100-mK helium-light cooling system for MUSCAT on the LMT. Journal of Low Temperature Physics 193 (5-6), pp.805-812. (10.1007/s10909-018-2024-y)
- Castillo, E. et al. 2018. Mexico-UK sub-millimeter camera for astronomy. Journal of Low Temperature Physics 193 (5-6), pp.1010-1015. (10.1007/s10909-018-2018-9)
- Morozov, D. et al., 2018. Design and characterisation of titanium nitride subarrays of kinetic inductance detectors for passive terahertz imaging. Journal of Low Temperature Physics 193 (3-4), pp.196-202. (10.1007/s10909-018-2023-z)
- Brien, T. et al. 2016. Optical response of strained- and unstrained-silicon cold-electron bolometers. Journal of Low Temperature Physics 184 , pp.231-237. (10.1007/s10909-016-1569-x)
- Rowe, S. et al. 2016. A passive terahertz video camera based on lumped element kinetic inductance detectors. Review of Scientific Instruments 87 (3) 033105. (10.1063/1.4941661)
- Brien, T. L. et al. 2014. A strained silicon cold electron bolometer using Schottky contacts. Applied Physics Letters 105 043509. (10.1063/1.4892069)
Conferences
- Becerril-Tapia, M. et al. 2026. SuMaC: on-sky demonstration of multipixel on-chip millimeter-wave spectroscopy at the Large Millimeter Telescope. Presented at: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2026 Copenhagen, Denmark 5-11 July 2026. Published in: Zmuidzinas, J. and Gao, J. eds. Proceedings Volume 14156: Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy XIII. Vol. 14156.[SuMaC: on-sky demonstration of multipixel on-chip millimeter-wave spectroscopy at the Large Millimeter Telescope]. Society of Photo-optical Instrumentation Engineers. , pp.1415607. (10.1117/12.3105526)
- Becerril-Tapia, M. et al. 2026. Mapping large CMB-KID arrays through LED scanner [Poster]. Presented at: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation 2026 Copenhagen, Denmark 5-10 July 2026. Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy XIII. Vol. 14156.[Mapping large CMB-KID arrays through LED scanner]. SPIE. , pp.92. (10.1117/12.3105449)
- Lapuente, A. et al., 2026. Data reduction pipeline for the SuMAC millimeter-wave spectrometer at the LMT [Poster]. Presented at: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2026 Copenhagen, Denmark 5-10 July 2026. Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy XIII. Vol. 14156.[Data reduction pipeline for the SuMAC millimeter-wave spectrometer at the LMT]. SPIE(10.1117/12.3105695)
- Woodhead, C. et al. 2024. Design and commissioning of a UHV sputter system for the fabrication of superconducting TiN KID’s using High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering. Presented at: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation 2024 Yokohama, Japan 16 - 21 June 2024. Published in: Zmuidzinas, J. and Gao, J. eds. Proceedings Volume PC13102, Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy XII. SPIE(10.1117/12.3019852)
- Gascard, T. et al. 2022. Pixel design for FIR/mm/submm astronomy constituted of a set of antenna-coupled superconducting detectors feeding a metamaterial-based lenslet. Presented at: Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy XI Montreal, Canada 17-23 July 2022. Proceedings Volume 12190 Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy XI. Vol. 12190.SPIE. (10.1117/12.2627848)
- Brien, T. et al. 2020. Pre-deployment verification and predicted mapping speed of MUSCAT. Presented at: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation 2020 Virtual 14-18 December 2020. Proceedings Volume 11453, Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy X. Vol. 11453.SPIE. , pp.1145303. (10.1117/12.2561305)
- Brien, T. L. R. et al. 2020. Performance and deployment status of MUSCAT: a 1500-pixel LEKID-based mm-wave camera for the large millimeter telescope. Presented at: 45th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves (IRMMW-THz) Buffalo, USA 8-13 Nov 2020. 45th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves (IRMMW-THz). (10.1109/IRMMW-THz46771.2020.9370760)
- Gómez-Rivera, V. et al., 2020. Design and characterization of the MUSCAT detectors. Presented at: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation 2020 Virtual 14-18 December 2020. Proceedings Volume 11453, Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy X. Vol. 11453.SPIE. , pp.114531Q. (10.1117/12.2576334)
- Tapia, M. et al., 2020. MUSCAT focal plane verification. Presented at: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation 2020 Virtual 14-18 December 2020. Proceedings Volume 11453, Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy X;. Vol. 11453.SPIE. , pp.1145309. (10.1117/12.2576219)
- Brien, T. et al. 2018. MUSCAT: The Mexico-UK Sub-Millimetre Camera for AsTronomy. Presented at: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2018 Austin, TX, USA 10-15 June 2018. Published in: Zmuidzinas, J. and Gao, J. eds. Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy IX. Vol. 10708.SPIE(10.1117/12.2313697)
- Brien, T. L. et al. 2016. A cryogenic testbed for the characterisation of large detector arrays for astronomical and Earth-observing applications in the near to very-long-wavelength infrared. Presented at: Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2016: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave Edinburgh 26 June - 1 July 2016. Proc. SPIE 9904, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2016: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave. Vol. 99045H.Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)(10.1117/12.2234403)
- Brien, T. et al. 2015. Optical characterisation of a strained-silicon cold-electron bolometer at 160 GHz. Presented at: 2015 8th UK, Europe, China Millimeter Waves and THz Technology Workshop (UCMMT) Cardiff, UK 14-15 Sept. 2015. http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/mostRecentIssue.jsp?punumber=7455173. , pp.1-4. (10.1109/UCMMT.2015.7460630)
- Whall, T. E. et al., 2013. Cooltronics: a new low-temperature tunneling technology based on silicon. Presented at: 4th International Conference on Ultimate Integration on Silicon Coventry, UK 19-21 March 2013. ULIS, 2013: 14th International Conference on Ultimate Integration on Silicon, University of Warwick, 19th-21st March, 2013. Piscataway, N.J.: IEEE. , pp.1-4. (10.1109/ULIS.2013.6523477)
Thesis
- Brien, T. 2015. The silicon cold-electron bolometer. PhD Thesis , Cardiff University and Warwick University.
Biography
2006-2010 - MPhys, Physcics, Cardff University
2011-2015 - PhD, Astrophysics & Engineering, Cardiff University
2015-Present - Post Doctoral Research Associate, Astronomical Instrumentation Group, Cardiff Unviersity
Contact Details
[email protected]
+44 29208 76269
Queen's Buildings - North Building, Room N/0.44, 5 The Parade, Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 3AA
+44 29208 76269
Queen's Buildings - North Building, Room N/0.44, 5 The Parade, Newport Road, Cardiff, CF24 3AA