Spektr–UF Mission Spectrograph Space Qualified CCD Detector Subsystem

Abstract

Spektr–UF (World Space Observatory Ultraviolet, WSO-UV) is a Russian-led international collaboration aiming to develop a large space-borne 1.7 m Ritchey–Chretién telescope with science instruments to study the Universe in ultraviolet wavelengths. The WSO-UV spectrograph (WUVS) consists of three channels: two high-resolution channels (R = 50,000) with spectral ranges of 115–176 nm and 174–310 nm, and a low-resolution (R = 1000) channel with a spectral range of 115–305 nm. Each of the three channels has an almost identical custom detector consisting of a CCD inside a vacuum enclosure, and drive electronics. The main challenges of the WUVS detectors are to achieve high quantum efficiency in the FUV-NUV range, to provide low readout noise (3 e− at 50 kHz) and low dark current (<12 e−/pixel/hour), to operate with integral exposures of up to 10 h and to provide good photometric accuracy. A custom vacuum enclosure and three variants of a custom CCD272-64 sensor with different UV AR coatings optimised for each WUVS channel were designed. The enclosure prevents contamination and maintains the CCD at the operating temperature of −100 ∘C, while the temperature of the WUVS optical bench is +20 ∘C. A camera electronics box (CEB) that houses the CCD drive electronics was developed. Digital correlated double sampling technology allows for extremely low readout noise and flexible frequency for normal and binned pixel readout modes. This paper presents the WUVS detector design drivers, methods for extending the service life of the CCD sensors working with low signals in a space radiation environment and the key calculated parameters and results of the engineering qualification model qualification campaign.