Correction of radiation-induced charge transfer inefficiency in CCDs for the SMILE mission

太阳风磁层电离层链路探测器（SMILE）使命将调查地球磁层在太阳风和地磁变化影响下的动态响应。该使命将于2021年发射，将使用地球磁层顶和磁层尖点的软X射线成像以及北方极光的紫外成像。作为欧空局和中国科学院合作的一部分，英国正在领导软X射线成像仪（SXI），该成像仪的基线是使用两个e2 v CCD的焦平面。电子成像中心（CEI）在SXI中发挥关键作用，领导探测器的开发，测试和性能验证。CEI与e2 v技术有着非常紧密的合作关系，并在过去和现在的任务（如盖亚和欧几里得）中测试、开发和优化e2 v CCD方面拥有丰富的经验。这种强有力的合作将继续有利于SMILE SXI焦平面的发展。CEI及其组长Andrew Holland教授成功地培训了大量STFC CASE学生，他们都在完成学业后直接进入工作岗位，无论是在航天局（ESA和NASA），e2 v技术，地方和国家相关行业，或继续在学术界（在CEI内部和其他大学）。用于SMILE SXI的CCD将在轨道上遭受辐射损伤，在硅中产生陷阱，潜在地，每次像素到像素的转移都会消除信号并使图像模糊，这对于使用这种尺寸的检测器尤其严重，需要最多超过9000次像素到像素的转移。X射线谱的退化将需要精确的校正，以便能够分辨谱线;这将通过中欧倡议所开发的软件来实现，该软件是中欧倡议所在使命中发挥作用的一个关键部分，必须为发射后的操作做好准备。对电荷存储动力学的新理解和对辐射诱导陷阱的研究对于为SMILE SXI创建有效的校正算法以消除拖尾并实现所需的光谱分辨率至关重要。学生将开始将电荷存储的新理解与硅中陷阱动力学的新发展结合起来。通过他们自己的器件模拟，实验室实验和定制的模型代码，以及对噪声源对校正的影响的新的全面分析，学生将开发SMILE SXI的电荷转移效率低下校正算法。学生将与实施初步研究的博士后研究人员一起工作。所开发的技术将为其他飞行任务，如PLATO和欧几里得，开辟新的思路和方法。通过与e2 v的合作，学生将受益于获得纯学术环境中无法获得的培训，设施和专业知识

The Solar Wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE) mission will investigate the dynamic response of the Earth's magnetosphere under the impact of the solar wind and geomagnetic variations. Due for launch in 2021, the mission will use a combination of soft X-ray imaging of the Earth's magnetopause and magnetosphere cusps alongside UV imaging of the Northern Aurora. As part of a collaboration between ESA and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the UK is leading the Soft X-ray Imager (SXI), baselined to use a focal plane of two e2v CCDs.The Centre for Electronic Imaging (CEI) has a key role in the SXI, leading the detector development, testing and performance verification. The CEI has very strong collaborative links with e2v technologies and extensive experience in testing, development and optimisation of e2v CCDs for past and present missions such as Gaia and Euclid. This strong collaboration will continue to the benefit of the SMILE SXI focal plane development.The CEI and its group leader, Prof. Andrew Holland, have successfully trained a large number of STFC CASE students, all of whom have moved directly into employment following completion of their studies, be that with the space agencies (ESA and NASA), e2v technologies, local and national related industries, or continuing in academia (both inside the CEI and at other universities).The CCDs used for the SMILE SXI will suffer from radiation damage in-orbit, creating traps in the silicon, potentially removing signal and smearing the images with every pixel-to-pixel transfer, which is particularly serious with the use of a detector of this size, requiring a maximum of over 9000 pixel-to-pixel transfers. The degradation of the X-ray spectra will require precise correction to allow spectral lines to be resolved; this will be achieved through software developed by the CEI, as a key part of their role in the mission, that must be ready for post-launch operation. A new understanding of charge storage dynamics and studies of radiation-induced traps are essential towards the creation of effective correction algorithms for the SMILE SXI to remove the smearing and achieve the required spectral resolution.The student will begin by bringing together the new understanding of charge storage with the new developments in the dynamics of traps in silicon. Taking this forwards with their own device simulations, laboratory experiments and bespoke model code, alongside a new and thorough analysis of the impact of noise sources on the correction, the student will develop charge transfer inefficiency correction algorithms towards the SMILE SXI. The student will work with the post-doctoral researchers that implemented the initial research. The techniques developed will open up new ideas and methodologies for other missions, such as PLATO and Euclid. Through the collaboration with e2v, the student will benefit from access to training, facilities and expertise that are not available within a purely academic setting