Hybrid Analog/Digital, Large Format, Photon Counting Detectors For Astronomy

J. Crocker; M. Rafal; F. Paresce; A. Hiltner; B. Denman

doi:10.1117/12.968140

13 October 1986 Hybrid Analog/Digital, Large Format, Photon Counting Detectors For Astronomy

J. Crocker, M. Rafal, F. Paresce, A. Hiltner, B. Denman

Proceedings Volume 0627, Instrumentation in Astronomy VI; (1986) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.968140
Event: 1986 Astronomy Conferences, 1986, Tucson, United States

Abstract

The development of a new microchannel plate, photon counting detector with an analogue readout method based on a resistive anode is reported. This detector exhibits extremely high, stable electron gains of 108. At this gain, the spatial resolution is no longer primarily limited by the noise of the resistive anode so that digital methods of readout, such as discrete conductors, lose their advantage. These detectors can be readily scaled to 40mm and 70mm formats to match plate scales of 2 meter and larger telescopes. New, high speed digital electronics are described which replace older analogue methods and which fully exploit the high spatial and time resolution made possible by gains of this level. Analysis of the theoretical performance of this detector is performed and shows that the major limitation to the spatial resolution is the proximity focus of the photocathode and the first microchannel plate. The detector has been mated to an echelle spectrograph developed at the University of Michigan for installation on the new 2.4m facility at McGraw-Hill.

Citation Download Citation

J. Crocker, M. Rafal, F. Paresce, A. Hiltner, and B. Denman "Hybrid Analog/Digital, Large Format, Photon Counting Detectors For Astronomy", Proc. SPIE 0627, Instrumentation in Astronomy VI, (13 October 1986); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.968140

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