Near UV imager with an MCP-based photon counting detector

S. Ambily; Joice Mathew; Mayuresh Sarpotdar; A. G. Sreejith; K. Nirmal; Ajin Prakash; Margarita Safonova; Jayant Murthy

doi:10.1117/12.2232435

18 July 2016 Near UV imager with an MCP-based photon counting detector

S. Ambily, Joice Mathew, Mayuresh Sarpotdar, A. G. Sreejith, K. Nirmal, Ajin Prakash, Margarita Safonova, Jayant Murthy

Proceedings Volume 9905, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2016: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray; 990539 (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2232435
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2016, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Abstract

We are developing a compact UV Imager using light weight components, that can be own on a small CubeSat or a balloon platform. The system has a lens-based optics that can provide an aberration-free image over a wide field of view. The backend instrument is a photon counting detector with off-the-shelf MCP, CMOS sensor and electronics. We are using a Z-stack MCP with a compact high voltage power supply and a phosphor screen anode, which is read out by a CMOS sensor and the associated electronics. The instrument can be used to observe solar system objects and detect bright transients from the upper atmosphere with the help of CubeSats or high altitude balloons. We have designed the imager to be capable of working in direct frame transfer mode as well in the photon-counting mode for single photon event detection. The identification and centroiding of each photon event are done using an FPGA-based data acquisition and real-time processing system.

Citation Download Citation

S. Ambily, Joice Mathew, Mayuresh Sarpotdar, A. G. Sreejith, K. Nirmal, Ajin Prakash, Margarita Safonova, and Jayant Murthy "Near UV imager with an MCP-based photon counting detector", Proc. SPIE 9905, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2016: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 990539 (18 July 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2232435

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