Microchannel plate detectors for ultraviolet astronomy

S. Diebold; J. Barnstedt; J. Bluhm; L. Conti; H. R. Elsener; M. Höltzli; C. Kalkuhl; D. Rau; L. Rupp; D. Schaadt; T. Schanz; B. Stelzer; A. Stock; C. Weinert; K. Werner; T. Wildfang

doi:10.1117/12.3021533

21 August 2024 Microchannel plate detectors for ultraviolet astronomy

S. Diebold, J. Barnstedt, J. Bluhm, L. Conti, H. R. Elsener, M. Höltzli, C. Kalkuhl, D. Rau, L. Rupp, D. Schaadt, T. Schanz, B. Stelzer, A. Stock, C. Weinert, K. Werner, T. Wildfang

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 13093, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray; 130930N (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3021533
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2024, Yokohama, Japan

Abstract

Beyond the lifetime of the Hubble Space Telescope, observational access to the ultraviolet (UV) might be quite limited. Therefore, small missions with short development times are required to bridge the gap to future larger missions in this important wavelength range. Even with the progress in adapting silicon sensors for the UV, single-photon-counting and visible-blind microchannel plate (MCP) detectors can provide a competitive signalto- noise performance, particularly in the far- and extreme-UV, and enable simple instrument designs for small and cheap missions.

Our MCP detector development aims at reaching enhanced sensitivity and increased lifetime with lower size, mass, and power consumption. Therefore, the design comprises (Al)GaN photocathodes with a tunable long-wavelength cut-off, long-life borosilicate MCPs, and a cross-strip anode with an FPGA-based readout.

In this contribution, we report on the overall status of the detector development and give an outlook on the mission prospects.

Conference Presentation

(2024) Published by SPIE. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Citation Download Citation

S. Diebold, J. Barnstedt, J. Bluhm, L. Conti, H. R. Elsener, M. Höltzli, C. Kalkuhl, D. Rau, L. Rupp, D. Schaadt, T. Schanz, B. Stelzer, A. Stock, C. Weinert, K. Werner, and T. Wildfang "Microchannel plate detectors for ultraviolet astronomy", Proc. SPIE 13093, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 130930N (21 August 2024); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3021533

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