Testing of the MCP detector for the Field Camera Unit (FCU) has started

The testing of the engineering model of the Micro Channels Plate (MCP) detector to be used in the Field Camera Unit (FCU) on board the WSO-UV space telescope has started. These activities are the first step for preparing the qualification campaign that will take place during 2020.

 

Team members of the UCM AEGORA group and personnel from SENER company visited Photek premises in November this year and checked these activities in place. The FCU MCP detector transforms incoming UV photons into optical photons that are detected by a fast and configurable CMOS device. The development of this UV instrumentation represents an important technological challenge because it requires optics of nanometric precision and specific detectors with a strict control of any contamination.

 

The UCM is supervising the scientific aspects of the Far-Ultraviolet channel of the FCU, developing the necessary processing algorithms and coordinating the industrial activities within the overall instruments definition and integration with INASAN and others Russian partners.

The UV radiation coming from the source gets amplified in the MCP and generates showers of photons. Current activities focus on the analysis and characterisation of the centroids corresponding to these showers, as seen in the figure.

The UV radiation coming from the source gets amplified in the MCP and generates showers of photons. Current activities focus on the analysis and characterisation of the centroids corresponding to these showers, as seen in the figure.

3D image of the WSO-UV Field Camera Unit (FCU). The MCP detector of the FUV channel is seen in the red circle

3D image of the WSO-UV Field Camera Unit (FCU). The MCP detector of the FUV channel is seen in the red circle

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