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Completed TRL 3 (started at 2, targeting 3)
This proposal advances the μ-Spec submillimeter spectrometer on-a-chip technology towards the higher performance and larger focal planes required for next generation balloon- and space-flight instruments. We will: 1) demonstrate proof-of-concept for a new spectrometer component design, to increase the efficiency by a factor of x2; and 2) evaluate concepts for scaling to 3D focal plane architectures with up to ~100s of spectrometers.
Increased spectrometer performance for sub-millimeter IR spectrometers through increased resolution, improved quantum efficiency, and novel geometry allowing larger coverage within the focal plane.
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