The extragalactic background light (EBL) is the integrated diffuse emissions from unresolved stars, galaxies, and intergalactic matter along the line of sight. The EBL is regarded as consisting of stellar emissions and thus an important observational quantity for studying global star formation history throughout cosmic time. Intensity and anisotropy in the near-infrared EBL as measured by the Cosmic Infrared Background ExpeRiment (CIBER), NASA’s sounding rocket experiment, and previous infrared satellites exceed the predicted signal from galaxy clustering alone. The objective of CIBER-2 is to unveil the EBL excess by observing it at extended wavelengths into the visible spectrum with an accuracy better than CIBER. The onboard instrument of CIBER2 comprises a 28.5-cm telescope cooled to 90K, and three HAWAII-2RG detectors coupled with dual-band filters for photometric mapping observations in six wavebands simultaneously and with linear variable filters for lowresolution spectroscopy. Although CIBER-2 made a successful first flight from White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico in 2021, technical problems such as contamination of thermal radiation from the rocket chassis and degradation of the mirror coat were recognized. Despite a successful second flight in 2023 solving the problems with the revised onboard instrument, the experiment was aborted because of trouble with the rocket tracking system. In this paper, we describe the parachute-recovered payload rebuilt after the second flight and the testing, and we report the successful flight on May 5th 2024.
The near-earth object camera (NEOCam) is a proposed infrared space mission designed to discover and characterize most of the potentially hazardous asteroids larger than 140 m in diameter that orbit near the Earth. NASA has funded technology development for NEOCam, including the development of long wavelength infrared detector arrays that will have excellent zodiacal background emission-limited performance at passively cooled focal plane temperatures. Teledyne Imaging Sensors has developed and delivered for test at the University of Rochester the first set of approximately 10 μm cutoff, 1024×1024 pixel HgCdTe detector arrays. Measurements of these arrays show the development to be extremely promising: noise, dark current, quantum efficiency, and well depth goals have been met by this technology at focal plane temperatures of 35 to 40 K, readily attainable with passive cooling. The next set of arrays to be developed will address changes suggested by the first set of deliverables.
In recent years, Teledyne Imaging Sensors has begun development of Long Wave Infrared (LWIR) HgCdTe
Detector Arrays for low background astronomical applications, which have a high percentage of low dark current
pixels but a substantial high dark current tail. Characterization of high dark current pixels in these devices has
produced I-V curves with unusual behaviors. The typical theories of diffusion current, tunneling current, and
even surface current have been unable to accurately model the observed I-V curves. By modeling dislocations in
and near the p-n junction as trapping sites and those near the surface as leakage channels, the behavior of these
unusual I-V curves is successfully modeled, pointing to the need to reduce the number of these dislocations in
order to produce LWIR HgCdTe photodiodes exhibiting very low dark current with sufficient well depth.
Burst noise (also known as popcorn noise and random telegraph signal/noise) is a phenomenon that is understood to be a result of defects in the vicinity of a p-n junction. It is characterized by rapid level shifts in both positive and negative directions and can have varying magnitudes. This noise has been seen in both HAWAII-1RG and HAWAII-2RG multiplexers and is under investigation. We have done extensive burst noise testing on a HAWAII-1RG multiplexer, where we have determined a significant percentage of pixels exhibit the phenomenon. In addition, the prevalence of small magnitude transitions make sensitivity of detection the main limiting factor. Since this is a noise source for the HAWAII-1RG multiplexer, its elimination would make the HAWAII-1RG and the HAWAII-2RG even lower noise multiplexers.
Future infrared space missions will undoubtedly employ passively cooled focal plane arrays (T ~ 30K), as well as passively cooled telescopes. Most long-wave detector arrays (e.g. Si:As IBC) require cooling to temperatures of ~ 6-8K. We have been working with Rockwell Scientific Company to produce <= 10 micron cutoff HgCdTe detector arrays that, at temperatures of ~30K, exhibit sufficiently low dark current and sufficiently high detective quantum efficiency, as well as high uniformity in these parameters, to be interesting for astronomy. Our goal is to achieve dark current below the target
value of ~ 30 e-/s/pixel with at least 60mV of actual reverse bias across the diodes at T ~ 30K. To this end, Rockwell Scientific Company has delivered three 10 micron cutoff HgCdTe low dark current detector arrays with small capacitance diodes for characterization in Rochester. The most recent presentation showed the remarkable preliminary performance of the first of these devices. We present further results on the first device along with results on the subsequent two deliveries.
Future infrared space missions will undoubtedly employ passively cooled focal plane arrays (T ~ 30K), as well as passively cooled telescopes. Most long-wave detector arrays (e.g. Si:As IBC) require cooling to temperatures of ~ 6-8K. We have been working with Rockwell Scientific Company to produce ≥ 10 μm cutoff HgCdTe detector arrays that, at temperatures of ~ 30K, exhibit sufficiently low dark current and sufficiently high detective quantum efficiency, as well as high uniformity in these parameters, to be interesting for astronomy. Our goal is to achieve dark current below the target value of ~30 e-/s/pixel with at least 60mV of actual reverse bias across the diodes at T ~ 30K. To this end, Rockwell Scientific Company has delivered the first array in a new order, for characterization in Rochester. Recent array deliveries of 10μm cutoff HgCdTe bonded to a Hawaii-1RG multiplexer utilize the smallest capacitance diode type. We present preliminary results on this latest 10 μm cutoff HgCdTe low dark current detector array.
Future infrared space missions will undoubtedly employ passively cooled focal planes (T ~ 30K), as well as passively cooled telescopes. Most long-wave detector arrays (e.g. Si:As IBC) require cooling to temperatures of ~ 6-8K. We have been working with Rockwell to produce 10μm cutoff HgCdTe detector arrays that, at temperatures of ~ 30K, exhibit sufficiently low dark current and sufficiently high detective quantum efficiency to be interesting for astronomy. In pursuit of these goals, Rockwell Scientific Company has delivered twelve 256 x 256 arrays (several of them engineering arrays), with cutoff wavelengths at 30K between 7.4 and 11μm for characterization at Rochester. Seven of these arrays utilize advanced structure diodes with differing capacitances arranged in rows (banded arrays), and the materials properties of the HgCdTe also vary significantly from array to array. Of ultimate interest to astronomy is the fraction of pixels with dark current below the target value of ~ 100e-/s with 10-60mV of actual reverse bias across the diodes at T ~ 30K. These arrays were developed for the purpose of selecting diode architecture: we use this fraction as one criterion for selection. We have determined from these experiments the optimal diode architecture for future array development. Measurement of the dark current as a function of reverse bias and temperature allows us to ascertain the extent to which trap-to-band tunneling dominates the dark current at this temperature. We present the results for one representative array, UR008.
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