Innovative Space-Borne Imaging Detector

A new generation of imaging detectors with low-noise and high-speed capabilities may transform imaging applications on space missions, impact biomedical imaging, and help in homeland defense.

The University of Rochester (Rochester, NY, USA) and the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT; Rochester, NY, USA) have won a grant of US$847,000 from the U.S. National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) Astronomy Physics Research and Analysis program to build and test a detector that will capture sharper images and consume less power than technology currently in use.

The new imaging sensor, which will function at wavelengths spanning from ultraviolet to mid-infrared, will be able to operate reliably in the harsh radiation environment of space. "These benefits will lead to lower mission cost and greater scientific productivity,” remarked Dr. Donald Figer, director of the Rochester Imaging Detector Laboratory at RIT and lead scientist on the project. The team includes Dr. Zeljko Ignjatovic, assistant professor in the University of Rochester's department of electrical and computer engineering, and Dr. Zoran Ninkov from RIT.

The new detector is based on a technology created by Dr. Ignjatovic and his colleagues at the University of Rochester. It will reduce the required hardware requirements on NASA planetary missions from the size of a crate weighing tens of pounds to a tiny thumb-sized chip. It also will enhance images captured by ground telescopes that will rival those from orbiting telescopes, such as the Hubble Space Telescope.

Dr. Ignjatovic's chip integrates an analog-to-digital converter at each pixel in a sensor. "Previous attempts to do this on-pixel conversion have required far too many transistors, leaving too little area to collect light,” remarked Dr. Ignjatovic. "First tests on the chip show that it uses 50 times less power than the industry's current best, which is especially helpful on deep-space missions where energy is precious.”

In spite of the chip's low power consumption and sensitivity, it is surprisingly resistant to the radiation noise of space. Since each pixel converts the signal from analog to digital before moving it off-chip, the signal is digital and clear before it has a chance to travel and degrade.

In addition to astronomic applications, the detector could improve biomedical imaging devices used in emergency rooms or on battlefields. The technology could also help in homeland security surveillance efforts to watch a nation's borders.




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