Developing Extended Wavlength InGaAs Arrays for Ground-based Near-Infrared Astronomy

0352934——斯克鲁茨基/弗吉尼亚大学基于砷化铟镓技术的天文探测器，以及最终的成像阵列将被开发出来。这些探测器将具有足够低的暗电流，能够在1.2、1.6和2.2微米波段从地面进行背景限制观测。虽然汞镉碲和铟锑阵列技术已经允许在这些波长进行背景限制成像，但这些探测器的成本限制了在近红外波长的大型望远镜上充分利用可用的焦平面面积，也阻碍了近红外成像仪和光谱仪的广泛发展。铟镓砷化技术提供了匹配或超过汞镉碲化和铟锑化的能力，以低于每像素成本的25%进行地面宽带观测。除了这项工作对弗吉尼亚大学的研究生和本科生的直接教育效益外，这种廉价技术的可用性还将：通过在红外波长上实现更大的焦平面覆盖，从而在科学上取得进展；为小型机构提供价格适中的仪器；并实现天文学领域以外的低成本应用。

0352934 -- Skrutskie/Univ of VirginiaAstronomical detectors, and ultimately imaging arrays, based on Indium-Gallium-Arsenide technology will be developed. These detectors will have sufficiently low dark current to enable background-limited observations from the ground in the 1.2, 1.6, and 2.2 micron wavelength bands. Although Mercury-Cadmium-Telluride and Indium-Antimonide array technologies already permit background-limited imaging at these wavelengths, the cost of these detectors prohibits full exploitation of available focal plane area on large telescopes at near-infrared wavelengths as well as the widespread development of near-infrared imagers and spectrographs for moderate- and small-aperture facilities. Indium-Gallium-Aresenide technology offers the promise of matching or exceeding Mercury-Cadmium-Telluride and Indium-Antimonide capabilities for ground-based broadband observations at less than 25% of the cost per pixel. In addition to the direct educational benefits of this work to graduate and undergraduate students at the University of Virginia, availability of this inexpensive technology will also: allow gains in science by enabling greater focal plane coverage at infrared wavelengths; provide access to moderate-cost instrumentation for small institutions; and enable modest-cost applications beyond the field of astronomy.