Large Format, High Efficiency, UV/Optical/NIR Photon Counting Detectors

We propose the development and maturation of high efficiency, large format, photon counting detectors needed for future NASA missions, particularly the large IR/O/UV observatory that is recommended by the Astro2020 decadal with focus on the exo-solar planet characterization requirements. Several of the instruments in the large UV/O/IR observatory studies required photon counting detectors. More specifically photon counting detectors with high efficiency in the far ultraviolet have been identified as technology gap for exo-solar planet characterization as well as general astrophysics. This proposed effort combines advanced photon counting capabilities developed at Teledyne-e2v with performance of JPL’s 2D doping processes and integrated, multilayer antireflection (AR) coatings and out-of-band rejection filters. It further combines recent development in graded filters directly deposited on 2D-doped devices to tailor the response over a wide spectral range in a single detector. These techniques will be applied to two flavors of EMCCDs: 1) the Deep depletion EMCCDs with their high efficiency absorption in the near infrared allowing tailoring of the response in a single detector from far ultraviolet to near infrared; and 2) the more radiation tolerant EMCCD developed for Roman-CGI. Te2v and JPL have formed a successful strategic partnership that is focused in developing, maturing, and qualifying detectors for future NASA missions which will directly benefit the proposed effort. The proposing team has a strong track record in technology development, maturation, and deployment-including the development of a high efficiency UV photon counting detector successfully deployed in a suborbital mission—the first UV EMCCD in flight. The team’s strength in part is due to the diversity in background and complementary expertise in fundamentals of device physics, detector development and characterization, technology qualification (Roman-CGI), instrument design, mission design and development.

The Strategic Astrophysics Technology program (SAT) supports focused development efforts for key technologies to the point at which they are ready to feed into major missions in the three science themes of the Astrophysics Division: Exoplanet Exploration, Cosmic Origins, and the Physics of the Cosmos. This program is specifically designed to address middle technology readiness level (TRL) "gaps" between levels 3 and 6: the maturation of technologies that have been established as feasible, but which are not yet sufficiently mature to incorporate into flight missions without introducing an unacceptable level of risk. NASA does not require a data management plan for proposals to SAT.

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