Cryogenic optical beam steering for superconducting device calibration

We have developed a calibration system based on a micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) mirror that is capable of delivering an optical beam over a wavelength range of 180 – 2000 nm (0.62 – 6.89 eV) in a sub-Kelvin environment. This portable, integrated system can steer the beam over a ∼3 cm × 3 cm area on the surface of any sensor with a precision of ∼100 μm, enabling characterization of device response as a function of position. This fills a critical need in the landscape of calibration tools for sub-Kelvin devices, including those used for dark matter detection and quantum computing. These communities have a shared goal of understanding the impact of ionizing radiation on device performance, which can be pursued with our system. This paper describes the design of the first-generation calibration system and the results from successfully testing its performance at room temperature and 20 mK.