This proposal seeks funding to set up a laboratory dedicated to the development, testing, and flight qualification of electron multiplying charge coupled devices (EMCCDS). I propose a focus on…

This federal contract award to the University of Arizona provides $355,284 in funding to establish the Hamden UV/VIS Detector (HUVD) laboratory at Caltech. The lab will focus on the development, testing, and flight qualification of electron multiplying charge coupled devices (EMCCDs) for use in ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared telescopes and photon-starved applications. The award aims to produce flight-ready EMCCD detectors in time for incorporation into future Explorer-class missions and large-scale telescopes.

This contract is not associated with a set-aside program. The University of Arizona, as the prime contractor, will leverage its expertise in astrophysics, optical instrumentation, and research infrastructure at Caltech to advance the capabilities of EMCCD detectors. The funding agency is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which has a strong interest in improving instrument technologies for future space telescopes and missions. The contract has a performance period that runs through July 2025.

This proposal seeks funding to set up a laboratory dedicated to the development, testing, and flight qualification of electron multiplying charge coupled devices (EMCCDS). I propose a focus on detectors for use on ultraviolet (UV) telescopes in particular, but also at visible and near infrared (IR) wavelengths for any photon starved application. Such a lab is uniquely suited to be placed at caltech. Caltech has unique access to resources at JPL, the expertise at caltech optical observatories on EMCCDS is unparalleled, and the UV telescope expertise provided by chris martin S group, the space astrophysics lab, is equally vital. My proposal, to create the hamden UV/VIS detector (HUVD) lab at caltech . This lab, and my work in IT, will leverage the abilities and technology already present at caltech, along with substantial institutional support, into an avenue of research that is critical to making the large-scale space-telescopes of the future as E.ective, inexpensive, and efficient as possible. This lab will be located in a dedicated space provided by caltech, using a combination of new and existing equipment. Institutional support is provided in the form of my own salary (fully funded through 2020 by the caltech prize millikan fellowship and a national science foundation astronomy and astrophysics postdoctoral fellowship, NSF aapf), laboratory space, and equipment. My proposal includes a plan to mentor a grad student during the development phase, helping to foster a member of the next generation of future instrument builders. I am especially excited by this prospect, as I OWE much of my own career to NASA-funded technology initiatives and the emphasis on grad student participation for those programs. The primary goal for this proposal is to produce emccd detectors that are flight ready in time for incorporation into explorer class missions and for use on large scale telescopes likely to be suggested by the 2020 decadal survey. An ancillary benefit is the production of EMCCDS for potential use in ground based instruments, including high resolution spectrographs. The tests necessary for this qualification will take place in a lab setting and in flight on a complementary balloon project. Lab tests include: 1. Accurate measurements of dark current below 0.1 events PIX_1 HR_1 2. UV quantum efficiency (QE) and quantum yield (QY) measurements from 120-900 NM. 3. An exploration of the E.ECT of PCB design and waveform shaping on clock induced charge (CIC) and read noise levels 4. Radiation hardness measurements, both from protons and total ionizing dose 5. Signal to noise measurements, data pipeline, gain burn-in these tests will be conducted on several device sizes and types, including frame transfer and full frame devices [engineering grade and delta-doped CCD97S and CCD201-20S]. High efficiency emccd detectors have great potential to increase instrument throughput, lower costs, and increase sensitivity at UV/VIS/near IR wavelengths and can make an immediate, large impact when used at UV wavelengths in particular. The association of universities for research in astronomy (AURA) recently released a report on a future large scale UV/VIS space telescope (CITATION). When identifying essential UV technologies of the future, especially in light of the eventual end of the hubble space telescope (HST), they describe the need for a detector which can achieve the triple crown...high quantum efficiency, low read noise/photon counting, and low dark current . High efficiency, UV-optimized emccd detectors will meet these challenges, and the HUVD lab will provide the tests and results that are needed to put them into space.