Delta-doped electron-multiplying CCDs for FIREBall-2

Abstract. We present the status of on-going detector development efforts for our joint NASA/Centre National d’Études Spatiales balloon-borne UV multiobject spectrograph, the Faint Intergalactic Redshifted Emission Balloon (FIREBall-2; FB-2). FB-2 demonstrates a UV detector technology, the delta-doped electron-multiplying CCD (EMCCD), in a low-risk suborbital environment, to prove the performance of EMCCDs for future space missions and technology readiness level advancement. EMCCDs can be used in photon-counting mode to achieve extremely low readout noise (<1 electron). Our testing has focused on reducing clock-induced-charge (CIC) through wave shaping and well-depth optimization with a Nüvü V2 CCCP controller, measuring CIC at 0.001  e  −    /  pixel  /  frame. This optimization also includes methods for reducing dark current, via cooling, and substrate voltage levels. We discuss the challenges of removing cosmic rays, which are also amplified by these detectors, as well as a data reduction pipeline designed for our noise measurement objectives. FB-2 flew in 2018, providing the first time an EMCCD, was used for UV observations in the stratosphere. FB-2 is currently being built up to fly again in 2020, and improvements are being made to the EMCCD to continue optimizing its performance for better noise control.

[1]  Shouleh Nikzad,et al.  The faint intergalactic-medium red-shifted emission balloon: future UV observations with EMCCDs , 2016, Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation.

[2]  Olivier Daigle,et al.  CCCP: a CCD controller for counting photons , 2008, Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation.

[3]  Edoardo Charbon,et al.  Single Photon Counting UV Solar-Blind Detectors Using Silicon and III-Nitride Materials , 2016, Sensors.

[4]  Ray Bell,et al.  The LLCCD: low-light imaging without the need for an intensifier , 2001, IS&T/SPIE Electronic Imaging.

[5]  Bijan Nemati,et al.  Development of in-situ trap characterisation techniques for EMCCDs , 2018 .

[6]  Simran Agarwal,et al.  The FIREBall-2 UV balloon telescope: 2018 flight and improvements for 2020 , 2019, Optical Engineering + Applications.

[7]  April D. Jewell,et al.  Detector performance for the FIREBall-2 UV experiment , 2015, SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications.

[8]  B. Milliard,et al.  Multi object spectrograph of the Fireball balloon experiment , 2014, Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation.

[9]  Olivier Daigle,et al.  The darkest EMCCD ever , 2010, Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation.

[10]  David Hall,et al.  Mitigating radiation-induced charge transfer inefficiency in full-frame CCD applications by 'pumping' traps , 2012, Other Conferences.

[11]  C. Mackay,et al.  Photon counting strategies with low-light-level CCDs , 2003, astro-ph/0307305.

[12]  Joseph A. Sgro,et al.  The DUV Stability of Superlattice-Doped CMOS Detector Arrays , 2013 .

[13]  David Hall,et al.  Technology advancement of the CCD201-20 EMCCD for the WFIRST coronagraph instrument: sensor characterization and radiation damage , 2015, 1601.01761.

[14]  Robert Chave,et al.  FIREBALL: the Faint Intergalactic medium Redshifted Emission Balloon: overview and first science flight results , 2010, Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation.

[15]  Michael I. Andersen,et al.  Bayesian Photon Counting with EMCCDs , 2011, 1111.2066.

[16]  Michael E. Hoenk,et al.  Growth of a delta‐doped silicon layer by molecular beam epitaxy on a charge‐coupled device for reflection‐limited ultraviolet quantum efficiency , 1992 .

[17]  David Schiminovich,et al.  Delta-doped electron-multiplied CCD with absolute quantum efficiency over 50% in the near to far ultraviolet range for single photon counting applications. , 2012, Applied optics.

[18]  Sebastien Blais-Ouellette,et al.  Extreme Faint Flux Imaging with an EMCCD , 2009, 0911.4495.

[19]  Michael E. Hoenk,et al.  Delta-doped CCDs: high QE with long-term stability at UV and visible wavelengths , 1994, Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation.

[20]  Michael E. Hoenk,et al.  Superlattice-doped silicon detectors: progress and prospects , 2014, Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation.

[21]  René Doyon,et al.  Astronomical imaging with EMCCDs using long exposures , 2014, Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation.

[22]  Erika T. Hamden,et al.  Noise and dark performance for FIREBall-2 EMCCD delta-doped CCD detector , 2015, SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications.

[23]  Ray Bell,et al.  Subelectron read noise at MHz pixel rates , 2001, IS&T/SPIE Electronic Imaging.

[24]  Sarah E. Tuttle,et al.  The FIREBall fiber-fed UV spectrograph , 2008, Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation.

[25]  Kevin France,et al.  High-efficiency UV/optical/NIR detectors for large aperture telescopes and UV explorer missions: development of and field observations with delta-doped arrays , 2016, 1612.04734.

[26]  René Doyon,et al.  Characterization results of EMCCDs for extreme low-light imaging , 2012, Other Conferences.

[27]  Simon Tulloch,et al.  On the use of electron-multiplying CCDs for astronomical spectroscopy , 2010, 1009.3403.

[28]  David Schiminovich,et al.  The Faint Intergalactic Redshifted Emission Balloon-2: End-to-end ground Calibration (Conference Presentation) , 2018, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2018: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray.

[29]  R. Grange,et al.  Fireball multi object spectrograph: as-built optic performances , 2016, Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation.