Next-generation APD detector arrays for interferometric imaging

创建物理世界的图像是一项跨越物理学、天文学、生命科学和许多其他学科的普遍任务。探测器是记录光并将其转化为电子信号的关键技术。然而，检测器的读出过程也会引入噪声，特别是在红外波长观测和使用非常高的帧速率时。雪崩光电二极管是一种具有颠覆性的新型探测器技术，它通过在信号被读出之前放大信号来克服读取噪声问题。不幸的是，第一代APD设备受到了严重的限制，特别是高背景电平，阻碍了这些设备的长集成时间和小像素格式。我们将采购两台设备，其中第一台将使我们能够提高MIRC-X 6望远镜成像仪的灵敏度。第二个设备将使用最新一代大画幅apd实现技术开发，其目标是在实验室中表征和优化相机的读取噪声和暗电流性能，然后将其部署到我们即将在VLTI的BIFROST访客仪器中。这将有利于我们的STFC项目所进行的研究以及广泛的用户社区所进行的研究。我们将与其他学科的利益相关者合作，探索大尺寸设备是否适合天文学以外的应用，例如生物物理学和医学。

Creating images of the physical world is a universal task that spans physics, astronomy, life sciences, and numerous other disciplines. Detectors are the key technology to register light and to translate it into an electronic signal. However, the read-out process in detectors also introduces noise, in particular when observing at infrared wavelengths and when using very high frame rates. Avalanche photodiodes are a disruptive new detector technology that overcome the read-noise problem by amplifying the signal before it is being read out. Unfortunately, 1st-generation APD devices suffered from severe limitations, in particular a high background level that prevents long integration times and a small pixel format of these devices. We will procure two devices, where the first one will allow us to improve the sensitivity of our MIRC-X 6-telescope imager. The second device will enable technology developments using the latest generation of large-format APDs, where the goal is to characterise & optimise the read noise and dark current performance of the camera in the lab and then to deploy it in our upcoming BIFROST visitor instrument at the VLTI. This will benefit the research pursued by our STFC project as well as the research pursued by a broad community of users. We will engage with stakeholders in other disciplines to explore whether the large-format devices are suitable for applications outside of astronomy, for instance in biophysics and medicine.