Comparative Analysis of ASIC and Dual-mode FPGA-based Digital Spectrometers

Broadband Digital Spectrometers (DS) are poised to dramatically change remote sensing spectrometers by providing fine-resolution, broadband spectroscopic measurements with significant reductions in size, mass and power over conventional methods. GSFC is pursuing multiple cross-cutting technology developments and spaceflight instruments using digital spectrometers; however, our experience in characterizing their performance and understanding the differences in performance of DS architectures lags. This IRAD seeks to advance the application of DS’s through comparative analyses of laboratory measurements that will lead to a better understanding of the performance of two DS architecture and requirements for future spaceflight missions. The advent of commercially-available, TRL 6 DS’s make this study timely and critically important endeavor.

The digital spectrometer has broad cross-cutting applications in submillimeter digital receivers for planetary missions, ultra-broadband spectroradiometry for planetary boundary layer sensing, hyperspectral sounding of atmospheric temperature and water vapor, cryogenenic detectors for radio astronomy, etc. GSFC is pursuing multiple technology development projects and instruments that will rely on DS architectures. The proposed dual mode FPGA-based CS/WOLA spectrometer is the enabling technology for the future flagship missions, which utilize the MKID/TES detectors, while ASIC-based spectrometers provide a core enabling technology and promising solution for other DS applications like hyperspectral sounding.

The dual mode development of the FPGA-based spectrometer targeting the Xilinx RFSoC is both an urgent short-term and strategic long-term necessity. The digital spectrometer is the cornerstone design in the firmware for both of these future flagship missions. In addition the dual mode digital spectrometer development will greatly reduce costs and development time for ground-based instrumentation, mission concept studies and balloon missions.

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