KEYWORDS: Electron multiplying charge coupled devices, Prototyping, Vibration, Cameras, Design and modelling, Clocks, Temperature metrology, Dark current, Interfaces, Charge-coupled devices
With recent advances in large-scale space telescope missions, new sensors and technologies are made available for use in space for the first time. With the recent developments for the Coronagraph Instrument (CGI) instrument of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (NGRST), Electron Multiplying CCD (EMCCD) readout electronics and sensors are being qualified for extended use in space. To make this new remote sensing technology available for a wider range of missions, a new space camera version has been developed, with the first units outfitted with the Teledyne-e2v CCD201-20 EMCCD sensor. This novel camera, equipped with proprietary Camera Proximity Electronics (CPE), is built with a balance of space-qualified components and commercial off the shelf components with flight heritage to optimize cost, performance, and reliability. In addition to direct imaging and characterization of exoplanets, the sensitivity of this camera is also enabling Space Situational Awareness applications. The first imaging, random vibration and TVAC testing results of this new 1U camera platform named nüSpace will be presented.
The science goals of current and upcoming large telescopes require the highest level of adaptive optics (AO) performance. To address these requirements, an electron-multiplying CCD (EMCCD), the HNü240, has been developed based on the Teledyne-e2v CCD220 240x240 pixel detector with Nüvü Caméras’ re-designed EMCCD electronics. The HNü240 delivers a full-detector frame rate of up to 3015 frames per second with 35.5 𝜇s first-pixel latency, sub-electron noise and flexible readout sequences that can be tailored to different wavefront sensor designs. The sealed-body design and fully airless cooling prevent unwanted airflow while eliminating thermal gradients on the camera body. Details of the HNü240’s design, performance results and applications to AO systems in exoplanet detection, quantum key distribution and space situational awareness will be discussed.
Meteorites and space debris represent a growing threat; their relative speeds make even the tiniest, a potential hazard. Whilst optical and radar instruments allow good coverage of larger debris (> 10cm) population, smaller ones evade most detection attempts. The imaging challenge of probing the population of small size debris is significant as their lower brightness & high speed renders them difficult to see over the zodiacal background. Although the optical tracking of known debris is possible, the detection of uncharted debris implies a staring imager looking for moving objects. An imager capable of short exposures best accomplishes this task, as it prevents the faint object’s signal from being drowned by the background signal. Short exposures further imply that the level of detected signal will be very low; the electron multiplying charge coupled device (EMCCD) technology, with its photon counting capability, coupled to motion-compensation algorithms, can truly boost detection capabilities. This paper will describe the advantages of a ground and space-based EMCCD usage to detect and monitor those high-velocity objects.
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