PReSSiC: Planetary Remote Sensing using SiC detectors

We propose to build, test, and validate High Sensitivity Silicon Carbide (SiC) Focal Plane Detectors for miniaturized instruments that can enable near-ultraviolet remote sensing of lunar surface and other planetary bodies. Silicon Carbide is a highly promising material, which has demonstrated at least two orders of magnitude better sensitivity in the Near Ultra-Violet (NUV) over previously used materials. To our knowledge, this project would be the first to harness 4H-SiC large format, small pixel, solar blind, linear detector arrays, with their unique material properties for the purposes, of integration into remote sensing planetary spectrometer instrumentation. We would leverage the manufacturing and integration experience of our team in order to fabricate the detectors and then package and integrate them into a focal plane assembly. We will then test the focal plane array in a spectrometer set up we have in hand. Our team is uniquely equipped for this project given previous work that has been done with 4H-SiC material and would leverage previous developments that used SBIR, GOES-R and NASA/GSFC internal research and development funding. The work proposed by the project would raise the technology readiness level of these detectors from 2 to 4, with a future MATISSE proposal aimed at additional maturation of the detectors as a viable path for planetary instrumentation impacting science identified in the decadal survey. The proposed 4H-SiC focal plane detectors would be able to obtain remote sensing radiance observations with a higher detectivity than previous generations of 200-340 nm NUV spectrometers with a resolving power of R~200. The compact power, size and cost footprint of these detectors would enable important NUV observations of several different planetary targets, including the Moon, Icy Worlds, Io, small bodies such as comets and asteroids, and atmospheres of certain planets. The miniaturization of such detectors with readout electronics is also key to enabling NUV instrumentation in SmallSats or added to larger, conventional spacecraft as CubeSat ride share missions.

Enabling lower cost innovative remote sensing instrument development from concept through breadboard and demonstration

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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