The Little Ultraviolet Camera (LUVCamera) is a low-cost, high-performance UV/optical camera system designed to support a range of space-based astronomical facilities. At the heart of LUVCamera is a GSENSE 4040-BSI scientific CMOS (sCMOS) sensor, similar to those found in commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) cameras. Given the intended use of LUVCamera in space-based missions, it is crucial to understand not only the performance of the sensor, but also the degradation of that performance due to effects from radiation in space environments. In this work, we report our characterization results of a SBIG Aluma AC4040 which utilizes this sensor, as well as those of a SBIG Aluma AC2020 (based on the smaller GSENSE 2020-BSI) which has been exposed to radiation. Specifically, we detail the methods used to characterize the sensors along with measurements of the read noise (RN), dark current (DC), and absolute quantum efficiency (QE). Additionally, we report changes in those quantities after radiation exposure for the AC2020. We conclude that COTS sCMOS sensors such as these are sufficiently suited for applications in space-based missions.
|