The next UV/O/IR flagship observatory mission recommended by the 2020 Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics requires detector performance beyond what many devices deliver; i.e., lower dark current, lower read noise, higher QE, photon counting capability, etc. We evaluate how detector performance parameters affect the ability of an instrument to satisfy the science goals described in the LUVOIR concept study. We compare the requirements to performance in relevant metrics for current state-of-the-art devices. Current UV/O devices (specifically photon-counting CMOS ones) already perform at a level that meet most of the requirements of the upcoming flagship mission. We find that CMOS devices provide performance characteristics that exceed the requirements and exist in formats that demonstrate scalability beyond tens of mega-pixels. EMCCDs have demonstrated scalability to this size as well, though the excess noise factor introduced by the gain mechanism presents significant issues. MKIDs can resolve photon energy, but have yet to demonstrate scalability to mega-pixel formats. SNSPDs do not currently have readout architectures beyond the kilo-pixel level.
Single-photon sensing and photon-number resolving image sensors are key to enabling projects that are not possible today. We present detector characterization results for four single-photon sensing and photon-number resolving backside illuminated complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors. Eric R. Fossum and his team at Dartmouth College led early detector development and continues through Gigajot Technology Inc. The CMOS image sensors have pixels (1.1 μm pitch) that use small-capacitance floating diffusions to achieve deep sub-electron read noise (<0.5 e− RMS). Characterization results include dark current, read noise, quantum efficiency, persistence, linearity, well depth. We also report on our ongoing work to use the image sensors for astronomical observations. We compare the performance of the four CMOS image sensors to that of state-of-the-art detectors, particularly with respect to the large UV/O/IR space telescope recommended by the 2020 Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics.
We describe progress developing infrared detectors with HgCdTe grown on silicon substrates using Molecular Beam Epitaxial growth. The project is a collaboration between the RIT Center for Detectors and Raytheon Vision Systems (RVS). NASA and NSF jointly funded the program, known as SATIN (Short-wave infrared Advanced Technologies and Instrumentation program funded by NASA and NSF). We present detector characterization results for detectors made in the final lot of devices made by RVS. A full suite of characterization results, including for dark current, read noise, spectral response, persistence, linearity, full well, and crosstalk probability, are presented. The performance satisfies requirements for astronomy imaging applications. We plan to use the design to make HELLSTAR (HgCdTe Extremely Large Layout Sensor Technology for Astrophysics Research), a 4K×6K infrared detector with the highest number of pixels ever made for infrared astronomy.
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