This paper, “High performance UV/visible microchannel plate delay line detector technologies," was presented as part of International Conference on Space Optics—ICSO 1997, held in Toulouse, France.
A solar ultraviolet detector prototype for the GOES spacecraft has been calibrated using the X24C beamline at the Brookhaven NSLS. Similar in design to the 3-channel SOHO CELIAS SEM, the GOES EUV uses a combination of transmission gratings and silicon photodiodes with thin-film metal overcoats to provide the required bandpasses. Four of the channels position the photodiodes at the first to fourth orders of 2500 and 5000 L/mm transmission gratings to provide spectral information over four wavelength bands from approximately 5-80 nm. The fifth channel positions the photodiode at first order of a 1667 L/mm transmission grating in combination with a bandpass filter centered at approximately 120 nm to provide coverage in the Lyman alpha region of teh solar spectrum. The GOES EUV will provid continuous monitoring of solar EUV in bandpasses that are known to have a large variability in the amount of energy deposition in the earth's ionosphere over a solar cycle. Prototype detector design and calibration procedure are discussed. Absolute responses of the design model and synchrotron beamline properties relevant to calibration are presented.
The Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) satellite was launched into orbit on June 24, 1999. FUSE is designed to make high resolution ((lambda) /(Delta) (lambda) equals 20,000 - 25,000) observations of solar system, galactic, and extragalactic targets in the far ultraviolet wavelength region (905 - 1187 Angstrom). Its high effective area, low background and planned three year life allow observations of objects which have been too faint for previous high resolution instruments in this wavelength range. The FUSE instrument includes two large format microchannel plate detectors. Each detector system consists of two microchannel plate segments in a Z-stack configuration with double delay line anodes and associated electronics. High detector spatial resolution was required in order to obtain scientific data with high spectral resolving power, and low detector background was necessary in order to observe faint objects. We describe the performance of the FUSE detectors during their first year on orbit, including the mechanical and thermal stability, throughput, background, and flat field of the detector system. We will also discuss the regular single event upsets of the detector electronics, and the strategy adopted in order to minimize their impact on mission efficiency.
The Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) satellite was launched into orbit on June 24, 1999. FUSE is now making high resolution ((lambda) /(Delta) (lambda) equals 20,000 - 25,000) observations of solar system, galactic, and extragalactic targets in the far ultraviolet wavelength region (905 - 1187 angstroms). Its high effective area, low background, and planned three year life allow observations of objects which have been too faint for previous high resolution instruments in this wavelength range. In this paper, we describe the on- orbit performance of the FUSE satellite during its first nine months of operation, including measurements of sensitivity and resolution.
The microchannel plate, delay line, detectors developed for the far ultraviolet spectroscopic explorer mission to be launched in 1998 are described. The two FUSE detectors have a large format (approximately equals 184 mm by 10 mm split into two 88.5 by 10 mm segments), with high spatial resolution (less than 20 micrometers by 50 micrometers FWHM, greater than 9000 by 200 resolution elements) and good linearity (plus or minus 25 micrometers), high image stability, and counting rates in excess of 4 by 104 events sec-1. KBr opaque photocathodes have been employed to provide quantum detection efficiencies of 30 - 40% in the 900 - 1200 angstrom range. Microchannel plates with 10 micrometer pores and an 80:1 pore length to diameter ratio, with a 95 mm by 20 mm format have been used in a Z stack configuration to provide the photon amplification (gain approximately equals 2 by 107). These show narrow pulse height distributions (less than 35% FWHM) even with uniform flood illumination, and good background levels (less than 0.3 event cm-2sec-1). Flat field images are demanded by the microchannel plate multifiber boundary fixed pattern noise and are stable.
Small pore size microchannel plates (MCPs) are needed to satisfy the requirements for future high resolution small and large format detectors for astronomy. MCPs with pore sizes in the range 5 micrometer to 8 micrometer are now being manufactured, but they are of limited availability and are of small size. We have obtained sets of Galileo 8 micrometer and 6.5 micrometer MCPs, and Philips 6 micrometer and 7 micrometer pore MCPs, and compared them to our larger pore MCP Z stacks. We have tested back to back MCP stacks of four of these MCPs and achieved gains greater than 2 multiplied by 107 with pulse height distributions of less than 40 percent FWHM, and background rates of less than 0.3 events sec-1 cm-2. Local counting rates up to approximately equals 100 events/pore/sec have been attained with little drop of the MCP gain. The bare MCP quantum efficiencies are somewhat lower than those expected, however. Flat field images are characterized by an absence of MCP fixed pattern noise.
The microchannel plates for the detectors in the SUMER and UVCS instruments aboard the Solar Orbiting Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) mission to be launched in late 1995 are described. A low resistance Z stack of microchannel plates (MCPs) is employed in a detector format of 27 mm multiplied by 10 mm using a multilayer cross delay line anode (XDL) with 1024 by 360 digitized pixels. The MCP stacks provide gains of greater than 2 multiplied by 107 with good pulse height distributions (as low as 25% FWHM) under uniform flood illumination. Background rates of approximately equals 0.6 event cm-2 sec-1 are obtained for this configuration. Local counting rates up to approximately equals 800 events/pixel/sec have been achieved with little drop of the MCP gain. MCP preconditioning results are discussed, showing that some MCP stacks fail to have gain decreases when subjected to a high flux UV scrub. Also, although the bare MCP quantum efficiencies are close to those expected (approximately equals 10%), we found that the long wavelength response of KBr photocathodes could be substantially enhanced by the MCP scrubbing process. Flat field images are characterized by a low level of MCP fixed pattern noise and are stable. Preliminary calibration results for the instruments are shown.
Microchannel plate based detectors with cross delay line image readout have been rapidly implemented for the SUMER and UVCS instruments aboard the Solar Orbiting Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) mission to be launched in July 1995. In October 1993 a fast track program to build and characterize detectors and detector control electronics was initiated. We present the detector system design for the SOHO UVCS and SUMER detector programs, and results from the detector test program. Two deliverable detectors have been built at this point, a demonstration model for UVCS, and the flight Ly (alpha) detector for UVCS, both of which are to be delivered in the next few weeks. Test results have also been obtained with one other demonstration detector system. The detector format is 26mm x 9mm, with 1024 x 360 digitized pixels,using a low resistance Z stack of microchannel plates (MCP's) and a multilayer cross delay line anode (XDL). This configuration provides gains of approximately equals 2 X 107 with good pulse height distributions (<50% FWHM) under uniform flood illumination, and background levels typical for this configuration (approximately equals 0.6 event cm-2 sec-1). Local counting rates up to approximately equals 400 event/pixel/sec have been achieved with no degradation of the MCP gain. The detector and event encoding electronics achieves approximately equals 25 micrometers FWHM with good linearity (+/- approximately equals 1 pixel) and is stable to high global counting rates (>4 X 105 events sec-1). Flat field images are dominated by MCP fixed pattern noise and are stable, but the MCP multifiber modulation usually expected is uncharacteristically absent. The detector and electronics have also successfully passed both thermal vacuum and vibration tests.
Delay line detectors have been chosen for the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer1 mission to be launched in 2000. The demands of the FUSE detectors include large format (220mm x 10mm format), high spatial resolution (15im x 35im FWHM) and linearity, high image stability, low power consumption and weight, and counting rates in excess of 3 x i0 events sec1. The FUSE program builds on the previous work, which includes two delay line detectors (95mm x 27mm double delay line format) that have already been successfully employed in the ORFEUSASTROSPAS2 ultraviolet spectrometer launched by shuttle in September 1993. We present the plans for the FUSE detector program, and results from double delay line (DDL) detectors that are under investigation to meet the requirements of the FUSE program. Our current detector achieves 15im x 25p,m FWHM (<4000 x 500 resolution elements) over the 65 x 15mm format used for the FUSE demonstration detector (90% of the flight detector segment format length), with good linearity (±1 resolution element) and high stability. State of the art analog to digital converter (ADC), gated integrator, and digital signal processor (DSP) technology have been employed to develop novel event position encoding electronics with high count rate capability (<5 x104 events sec). Microchannel plates with lOj.tm pores and an 80: 1 pore length to diameter ratio, with a 70mm x 20mm format have been used in a Z stack configuration to provide the photon amplification (gain 2 x 10). These show good pulse height distributions (<35% FWHM) even with uniform flood illumination, and background levels typical for this configuration (<1 event cm 2 sec 1). Flat field images are dominated by the microchannel plate fixed pattern noise due to the multifiber boundaries, and are stable. High efficiency photocathodes, such as KBr have been extensively studied, and provide quantum detection efficiencies of 40-50% in the 900 - 1200A range for FUSE.
KEYWORDS: Microchannel plates, Sensors, Electronics, Modulation, Imaging spectroscopy, Computer programming, Point spread functions, Image resolution, Signal processing, Digital signal processing
Developments in high resolution double delay line (DDL) and cross delay line image readouts for applications in UV and soft X-ray imaging and spectroscopy are described. Our current DDL's achieve approximately equals 15 micrometers X 25 micrometers FWHM over 65 X 15 mm (> 4000 X 500 resolution elements) with counting rates of > 105 (10% dead time), good linearity (+/- approximately equals 1 resolution element) and high stability. We have also developed 65 mm X 15 mm multilayer cross delay line anodes with external serpentine delay lines which currently give approximately equals 20 micrometers FWHM resolution in both axes, with good linearity (approximately equals 30 micrometers ) and flat field performance. State of the art analog to digital converter and digital signal processor technology have been employed to develop novel event position encoding electronics with high count rate capability (2 X 105 events sec-1).
For detectors using microchannel plates (MCPs), the nonuniform response introduced by the finite size of the MCP pores has a significant effect when the size of a resolution element is comparable to the spacing between the pores (approximately 10 - 15 micrometers ). For the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer (FUSE) spectrograph, which will employ a delay line detector, the instrument plate scale, nominal slit width (1 arcsecond), and well-corrected optical design combine to produce slit-limited images 25 micrometers in width with resolution elements 32 micrometers wide, and a nominal resolution of (lambda) /(Delta) (lambda) equals 30,000. At these scales, the MCPs will sparsely sample spectral line images, resulting in significant pixellation effects. We have constructed a computer model of a microchannel plate detector to simulate these effects and evaluate the performance that can be expected from the FUSE detector. These simulations have been compared to actual images obtained with a laboratory version of a delay line detector. Slit patterns imaged onto the detector were chosen to simulate the resolution expected from the FUSE spectrograph in order to provide an estimate of the expected resolving power and test the effects of several detector parameters on resolution. Details of the model are described, and a comparison of the results with laboratory data is made. The implications for FUSE are also discussed.
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