Fisher matrix optimization of cosmic microwave background interferometers

We describe a method for forecasting errors in interferometric measurements of polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation, based on the use of the Fisher matrix calculated from the visibility covariance and relation matrices. In addition to noise and sample variance, the method can account for many kinds of systematic error by calculating an augmented Fisher matrix, including parameters that characterize the instrument along with the cosmological parameters to be estimated. The method is illustrated with examples of gain errors and errors in polarizer orientation. The augmented Fisher matrix approach is applicable to a much wider range of problems beyond CMB interferometry.