A detector technology investigation for the Exoplanet Characterisation Observatory (EChO)

Enzo Pascale; Stuart Forder; Peter Knowles; Rashmi V. Sudiwala; Bruce Swinyard; Marcell Tessenyi

doi:10.1117/12.927207

21 September 2012 A detector technology investigation for the Exoplanet Characterisation Observatory (EChO)

Enzo Pascale, Stuart Forder, Peter Knowles, Rashmi V. Sudiwala, Bruce Swinyard, Marcell Tessenyi

Proceedings Volume 8442, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave; 84422Z (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.927207
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2012, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Abstract

The Exoplanet Characterisation Observatory (EChO) is currently being studied by ESA as a medium class mis sion to be launched in the third decade of the new millennium. EChO requires exquisite detector sensitivity and stability under low- background conditions. The EChO longest wavelength instrument covers the very long wave length (VLWIR) spectral band from 10 to 16 µm and HgCdTe (MCT) photoconductors constitute a promising technology. Currently available MCT detectors have been developed for high-background and high-temperature operations and little is known about the performance achievable when the same detectors are operated at cryo genic temperatures, between 77 K and 4 K. Here we report on the optical and dark measurements obtained on VLWIR MCT photoconductors from European manufacturers at cryogenic temperatures.

Citation Download Citation

Enzo Pascale, Stuart Forder, Peter Knowles, Rashmi V. Sudiwala, Bruce Swinyard, and Marcell Tessenyi "A detector technology investigation for the Exoplanet Characterisation Observatory (EChO)", Proc. SPIE 8442, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave, 84422Z (21 September 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.927207

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