A photon-counting photodiode array detector for far ultraviolet
Citation
The document authored by G. F. Hartig, H. W. Moos, R. Pembroke, and C. Bowers of the Physics Department at Johns Hopkins University.
Keywords
- Photon-counting
- Photodiode array detector
- Far-ultraviolet astronomy
- Intensifier
- Microchannel plate (MCP)
- Cesium Iodide (CsI) photocathode
- Reticon RL1024SP
- Pulse height distribution (PHD)
- Spatial Resolution
- Quantum efficiency (Q.E.)
- Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT)
Brief
A new compact, stable, single-stage intensified photodiode array detector has been developed for photon-counting, far-ultraviolet astronomy applications.
Summary
This document details the development of a single-stage intensified photodiode array detector designed for photon-counting in far-ultraviolet (FUV) astronomy. The detector uses a saturable microchannel plate (S.MCP) for high gain and a cesium iodide (CsI) photocathode chosen for its efficiency in the target wavelength range. The intensifier is coupled to a Reticon RL1024SP linear photodiode array, which was selected due to its format being well-matched to the Rowland spectrometer it was designed for.3 The prototype detector is capable of spatial resolution near the limit imposed by the MCP pore spacing. Its small size, stability, and low bias voltage make it suitable for space-based astronomy.