Uncooled detector development for space application

W. Rabaud; M. Vilain; T. Garret; G. Hopkinson; M. S Bentley; S. Kraft; O. Legras; P. Castelein

doi:10.1117/12.777993

15 April 2008 Uncooled detector development for space application

W. Rabaud, M. Vilain, T. Garret, G. Hopkinson, M. S Bentley, S. Kraft, O. Legras, P. Castelein

Proceedings Volume 6958, Sensors and Systems for Space Applications II; 69580P (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.777993
Event: SPIE Defense and Security Symposium, 2008, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

The European Space Agency (ESA) has committed to a multi-spacecraft Cornerstone mission to the planet Mercury. BepiColombo comprises two spacecraft, one of which (The Mercury Planetary Orbiter platform (MPO)) will contain remote sensing instruments for making measurements of the planet at wavelengths from the far infrared to γ-rays. The MERcury Thermal Infrared Spectrometer (MERTIS) measures spectral emittance from Mercury in the range from 7 to 14 μm to derive surface mineralogy. It will employ an uncooled IR focal plane array (IRFPA) at the heart of the spectrometer. Within this framework, the IRFPA has been developed from a 160 × 120 microbolometer array with a pixel pitch of 35 μm. This sensor is made from amorphous silicon, which yields a short thermal time constant as well as very low NETD. Specific attention has been paid to the fact that such detector has to operate in space environment. The paper will present the specific development under progress and the first results obtained to fulfil the MERTIS requirements in terms of performance, irradiative and mechanical environments.

Citation Download Citation

W. Rabaud, M. Vilain, T. Garret, G. Hopkinson, M. S Bentley, S. Kraft, O. Legras, and P. Castelein "Uncooled detector development for space application", Proc. SPIE 6958, Sensors and Systems for Space Applications II, 69580P (15 April 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.777993

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