Radiation tolerant, photon counting,visible and near-IR detectors for space coronagraphs and starshades

Abstract

Abstract for Program NASA is considering future missions to seek evidence of life on other worlds. These include a coronagraphic Large UV-Optical-IR (LUVOIR) Surveyor and a starshade-based Habitable Exoplanet Observatory (HabEx). Both would use “biosignatures” to assess habitability. Biosignatures are spectral features that are thought to indicate the possible presence of life. Unfortunately, biosignature characterization is photon starved. This motivates challenging detector requirements including zero read noise, negligible false count rate, good near-IR QE to detect H2O (940 nm), and excellent radiation tolerance for use in space. To meet these requirements, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is partnered with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to add high speed photon counting outputs to thick, fully depleted, p-channel CCDs. We present recent test results and discuss future plans. This project is a sub-package within the Exoplanet Spectroscopy (ExoSpec) Technologies Work Package at GSFC. undefined NASA is considering future missions to seek evidence of life on other worlds. These include a coronagraphic Large UV-Optical-IR (LUVOIR) Surveyor and a starshade-based Habitable Exoplanet Observatory (HabEx). Both would use “biosignatures” to assess habitability. Biosignatures are spectral features that are thought to indicate the possible presence of life. Unfortunately, biosignature characterization is photon starved. This motivates challenging detector requirements including zero read noise, negligible false count rate, good near-IR QE to detect H2O (940 nm), and excellent radiation tolerance for use in space. To meet these requirements, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is partnered with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to add high speed photon counting outputs to thick, fully depleted, p-channel CCDs. We present recent test results and discuss future plans. This project is a sub-package within the Exoplanet Spectroscopy (ExoSpec) Technologies Work Package at GSFC.