The microchannel plate detector electronics system for SPEAR
Abstract
The SPEAR (Spectroscopy of Plasma Evolution from Astrophysical Radiation) mission to map the far ultraviolet sky uses micro-channel plate (MCP) detectors with a crossed delay line anode to record photon arrival events. SPEAR has two MCP detectors, each with a ~25mm x 25 mm active area. The unconventional anode design allows for the use of a single set of position encoding electronics for both detector fields. The centroid position of the charge cloud, generated by the photon-stimulated MCP, is determined by measuring the arrival times at both ends of the anode following amplification and external delay. The temporal response of the detector electronics system determines the readout's positional resolution for the charge centroid. High temporal resolution (< 35ps x 75ps FWHM) and low power consumption (<6W) are required for the SPEAR detector electronics system. We describe the development and performance of the detector electronics system for the SPEAR mission.
- Publication:
-
Future EUV/UV and Visible Space Astrophysics Missions and Instrumentation.
- Pub Date:
- February 2003
- DOI:
- 10.1117/12.460018
- Bibcode:
- 2003SPIE.4854..602N