Characterization and testing of a cross-delay line microchannel plate detector for the Aspera SmallSat Mission

Nicole Melso; Aafaque R. Khan; Keri Hoadley; Oswald Siegmund; Adrian Martin; Dave Hamara; Bill Verts; Hannah Tanquary; Carlos Vargas; Haeun Chung; Tom McMahon; Erika Hamden; Naomi Yescas; Elijah Garcia; Daniel Truong; Miriam Keppler; Jin Ah Kim; Simran Agarwal; Ramona Augustin; Peter Behroozi; Harrison Bradley; Joe Burchett; Heejoo Choi; Lauren Corlies; Jason Corliss; Fernando Coronado; Greyson Davis; Ralf Jürgen Dettmar; Ewan S. Douglas; Badi Ebrahimifard; Giulia Ghidoli; Alfred Goodwin; Walter Harris; Carl Hergenrother; J. Christopher Howk; Nazende ipek Kerkeser; Daewook Kim; Kimberly Knott; Jessica Li; Jasmine Martinez Castillo; Jamison Noenickx; Ryan Pecha; Cork Sauve; David Schiminovich; Sanford Selznick; Rebecca Su; Sumedha Uppnor; Ellie Wolcott; Dennis Zaritsky

doi:10.1117/12.3064828

Characterization and testing of a cross-delay line microchannel plate detector for the Aspera SmallSat Mission

Nicole Melso
, Aafaque R. Khan
, Keri Hoadley
, Oswald Siegmund
, Adrian Martin
, Dave Hamara
, Bill Verts
, Hannah Tanquary
, Carlos Vargas
, Haeun Chung
, Tom McMahon
, Erika Hamden
, Naomi Yescas
, Elijah Garcia
, Daniel Truong
, Miriam Keppler
, Jin Ah Kim
, Simran Agarwal
, Ramona Augustin
, Peter Behroozi

Harrison Bradley, Joe Burchett, Heejoo Choi, Lauren Corlies, Jason Corliss, Fernando Coronado, Greyson Davis, Ralf Jürgen Dettmar, Ewan S. Douglas, Badi Ebrahimifard, Giulia Ghidoli, Alfred Goodwin, Walter Harris, Carl Hergenrother, J. Christopher Howk, Nazende ipek Kerkeser, Daewook Kim, Kimberly Knott, Jessica Li, Jasmine Martinez Castillo, Jamison Noenickx, Ryan Pecha, Cork Sauve, David Schiminovich, Sanford Selznick, Rebecca Su, Sumedha Uppnor, Ellie Wolcott, Dennis Zaritsky

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Abstract

Aspera is a NASA Pioneers Mission designed to reach ultra-low surface brightness limits in the Far Ultraviolet (FUV). The small satellite payload consists of two identical spectrograph channels, both sharing a single detector and covering between 1013-1057 Å. The FUV sensitivity of this mission hinges on the availability of high QE, low background, photon-counting detectors. Aspera uses a microchannel plate detector (MCP) designed and manufactured by Sensor Sciences. The detector is a small-format, flat MCP stack with a CsI photocathode. A custom cross-delay line (XDL) anode has been designed to optimize the resolution in two separate active areas on the detector, one from each spectrograph channel. We present characterization and testing performed at Sensor Sciences and the University of Arizona with the Aspera flight electronics following the delivery of the flight model detectors.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XXIV
Editors	Oswald H. Siegmund, Keri Hoadley
Publisher	SPIE
ISBN (Electronic)	9781510691582
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3064828
State	Published - Sep 18 2025
Event	24th UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy - San Diego, United States Duration: Aug 5 2025 → Aug 7 2025

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume	13625
ISSN (Print)	0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)	1996-756X

Conference

Conference	24th UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy
Country/Territory	United States
City	San Diego
Period	8/5/25 → 8/7/25

Keywords

Microchannel Plate (MCP)
NASA Astrophysics Pioneers
UV Detector
UV Spectrograph

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Instrumentation
Condensed Matter Physics
Computer Science Applications
Applied Mathematics
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Access to Document

10.1117/12.3064828

Cite this

Melso, N., Khan, A. R., Hoadley, K., Siegmund, O., Martin, A., Hamara, D., Verts, B., Tanquary, H., Vargas, C., Chung, H., McMahon, T., Hamden, E., Yescas, N., Garcia, E., Truong, D., Keppler, M., Kim, J. A., Agarwal, S., Augustin, R., ... Zaritsky, D. (2025). Characterization and testing of a cross-delay line microchannel plate detector for the Aspera SmallSat Mission. In O. H. Siegmund, & K. Hoadley (Eds.), UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XXIV Article 1362513 (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 13625). SPIE. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3064828

Characterization and testing of a cross-delay line microchannel plate detector for the Aspera SmallSat Mission. / Melso, Nicole; Khan, Aafaque R.; Hoadley, Keri et al.
UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XXIV. ed. / Oswald H. Siegmund; Keri Hoadley. SPIE, 2025. 1362513 (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 13625).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Melso, N, Khan, AR, Hoadley, K, Siegmund, O, Martin, A, Hamara, D, Verts, B, Tanquary, H, Vargas, C , Chung, H, McMahon, T, Hamden, E, Yescas, N, Garcia, E, Truong, D, Keppler, M, Kim, JA, Agarwal, S, Augustin, R, Behroozi, P, Bradley, H, Burchett, J, Choi, H, Corlies, L, Corliss, J, Coronado, F, Davis, G, Dettmar, RJ, Douglas, ES, Ebrahimifard, B, Ghidoli, G, Goodwin, A, Harris, W, Hergenrother, C, Christopher Howk, J, Kerkeser, NI, Kim, D, Knott, K, Li, J, Castillo, JM, Noenickx, J, Pecha, R, Sauve, C, Schiminovich, D, Selznick, S, Su, R, Uppnor, S, Wolcott, E & Zaritsky, D 2025, Characterization and testing of a cross-delay line microchannel plate detector for the Aspera SmallSat Mission. in OH Siegmund & K Hoadley (eds), UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XXIV., 1362513, Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, vol. 13625, SPIE, 24th UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy, San Diego, United States, 8/5/25. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3064828

Melso N, Khan AR, Hoadley K, Siegmund O, Martin A, Hamara D et al. Characterization and testing of a cross-delay line microchannel plate detector for the Aspera SmallSat Mission. In Siegmund OH, Hoadley K, editors, UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XXIV. SPIE. 2025. 1362513. (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering). doi: 10.1117/12.3064828

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abstract = "Aspera is a NASA Pioneers Mission designed to reach ultra-low surface brightness limits in the Far Ultraviolet (FUV). The small satellite payload consists of two identical spectrograph channels, both sharing a single detector and covering between 1013-1057 {\AA}. The FUV sensitivity of this mission hinges on the availability of high QE, low background, photon-counting detectors. Aspera uses a microchannel plate detector (MCP) designed and manufactured by Sensor Sciences. The detector is a small-format, flat MCP stack with a CsI photocathode. A custom cross-delay line (XDL) anode has been designed to optimize the resolution in two separate active areas on the detector, one from each spectrograph channel. We present characterization and testing performed at Sensor Sciences and the University of Arizona with the Aspera flight electronics following the delivery of the flight model detectors.",

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author = "Nicole Melso and Khan, \{Aafaque R.\} and Keri Hoadley and Oswald Siegmund and Adrian Martin and Dave Hamara and Bill Verts and Hannah Tanquary and Carlos Vargas and Haeun Chung and Tom McMahon and Erika Hamden and Naomi Yescas and Elijah Garcia and Daniel Truong and Miriam Keppler and Kim, \{Jin Ah\} and Simran Agarwal and Ramona Augustin and Peter Behroozi and Harrison Bradley and Joe Burchett and Heejoo Choi and Lauren Corlies and Jason Corliss and Fernando Coronado and Greyson Davis and Dettmar, \{Ralf J{\"u}rgen\} and Douglas, \{Ewan S.\} and Badi Ebrahimifard and Giulia Ghidoli and Alfred Goodwin and Walter Harris and Carl Hergenrother and \{Christopher Howk\}, J. and Kerkeser, \{Nazende ipek\} and Daewook Kim and Kimberly Knott and Jessica Li and Castillo, \{Jasmine Martinez\} and Jamison Noenickx and Ryan Pecha and Cork Sauve and David Schiminovich and Sanford Selznick and Rebecca Su and Sumedha Uppnor and Ellie Wolcott and Dennis Zaritsky",

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AU - Melso, Nicole

AU - Khan, Aafaque R.

AU - Hoadley, Keri

AU - Siegmund, Oswald

AU - Martin, Adrian

AU - Hamara, Dave

AU - Verts, Bill

AU - Tanquary, Hannah

AU - Vargas, Carlos

AU - Chung, Haeun

AU - McMahon, Tom

AU - Hamden, Erika

AU - Yescas, Naomi

AU - Garcia, Elijah

AU - Truong, Daniel

AU - Keppler, Miriam

AU - Kim, Jin Ah

AU - Agarwal, Simran

AU - Augustin, Ramona

AU - Behroozi, Peter

AU - Bradley, Harrison

AU - Burchett, Joe

AU - Choi, Heejoo

AU - Corlies, Lauren

AU - Corliss, Jason

AU - Coronado, Fernando

AU - Davis, Greyson

AU - Dettmar, Ralf Jürgen

AU - Douglas, Ewan S.

AU - Ebrahimifard, Badi

AU - Ghidoli, Giulia

AU - Goodwin, Alfred

AU - Harris, Walter

AU - Hergenrother, Carl

AU - Christopher Howk, J.

AU - Kerkeser, Nazende ipek

AU - Kim, Daewook

AU - Knott, Kimberly

AU - Li, Jessica

AU - Castillo, Jasmine Martinez

AU - Noenickx, Jamison

AU - Pecha, Ryan

AU - Sauve, Cork

AU - Schiminovich, David

AU - Selznick, Sanford

AU - Su, Rebecca

AU - Uppnor, Sumedha

AU - Wolcott, Ellie

AU - Zaritsky, Dennis

PY - 2025/9/18

Y1 - 2025/9/18

N2 - Aspera is a NASA Pioneers Mission designed to reach ultra-low surface brightness limits in the Far Ultraviolet (FUV). The small satellite payload consists of two identical spectrograph channels, both sharing a single detector and covering between 1013-1057 Å. The FUV sensitivity of this mission hinges on the availability of high QE, low background, photon-counting detectors. Aspera uses a microchannel plate detector (MCP) designed and manufactured by Sensor Sciences. The detector is a small-format, flat MCP stack with a CsI photocathode. A custom cross-delay line (XDL) anode has been designed to optimize the resolution in two separate active areas on the detector, one from each spectrograph channel. We present characterization and testing performed at Sensor Sciences and the University of Arizona with the Aspera flight electronics following the delivery of the flight model detectors.

AB - Aspera is a NASA Pioneers Mission designed to reach ultra-low surface brightness limits in the Far Ultraviolet (FUV). The small satellite payload consists of two identical spectrograph channels, both sharing a single detector and covering between 1013-1057 Å. The FUV sensitivity of this mission hinges on the availability of high QE, low background, photon-counting detectors. Aspera uses a microchannel plate detector (MCP) designed and manufactured by Sensor Sciences. The detector is a small-format, flat MCP stack with a CsI photocathode. A custom cross-delay line (XDL) anode has been designed to optimize the resolution in two separate active areas on the detector, one from each spectrograph channel. We present characterization and testing performed at Sensor Sciences and the University of Arizona with the Aspera flight electronics following the delivery of the flight model detectors.

KW - Microchannel Plate (MCP)

KW - NASA Astrophysics Pioneers

KW - UV Detector

KW - UV Spectrograph

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DO - 10.1117/12.3064828

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AN - SCOPUS:105021157864

T3 - Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

BT - UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XXIV

A2 - Siegmund, Oswald H.

A2 - Hoadley, Keri

PB - SPIE

T2 - 24th UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy

Y2 - 5 August 2025 through 7 August 2025

ER -

Characterization and testing of a cross-delay line microchannel plate detector for the Aspera SmallSat Mission

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Keywords

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