CCD detectors for spectroscopy and imaging of x-rays with the eROSITA space telescope

Abstract

A special type of CCD, the so-called PNCCD, was originally developed for the focal plane camera of the XMMNewton space telescope. After the satellite launch in 1999, the MPI Halbleiterlabor continued the detector development for various ground-based applications. Finally, a new X-ray PNCCD was designed again for a space telescope named eROSITA. The space telescope will be equipped with an array of seven parallel oriented X-ray mirror systems of Wolter-I type and seven cameras, placed in their foci. This instrumentation will permit the exploration of the X-ray universe in the energy band from 0.3 keV up to 10 keV with a time resolution of 50 ms for a full image comprising 384 x 384 pixels. eROSITA will be accommodated on the new Russian Spectrum-RG satellite. The mission was already approved by the responsible German and Russian space agencies. The detector development is focussed to fulfil the scientific specifications for detector performance under the constraints of all the mechanical, power, thermal and radiation hardness issues for space instrumentation. This considers also the recent change of the satellite's orbit. The Lagrange point L2 was decided as new destination of the satellite instead of a low-Earth orbit (LEO). We present a detailed description of the detector system and the current development status. The most recent test results are reported here. Essential steps for completion of the seven focal plane detectors until satellite launch in 2012 will be itemized.