QUBIC, a bolometric interferometer to measure the B modes of the CMB

Abstract

Measuring the B modes of the CMB polarization fluctuations would provide very strong constraints on inflation. The main challenge in this measurement is the treatment of systematic effects. CMB observations with imagers and interferometers, subject to very different systematics, are complementary in this respect. Interferometry provides direct access to the Fourier transform of the sky signal. In bolometric interferometry, the interference pattern produced by the sky through a few hundred horns is imaged on a bolometer array. Several such modules are needed to achieve the required sensitivity. We will describe QUBIC, a merger of the US and European MBI and BRAIN collaborations. QUBIC is a polarized bolometric interferometer to be deployed in 2011-2012.