Monolithic Ge:Ga Detector Development for SAFARI

¹ The University of Tokyo, Komaba 3-8-1, Meguro, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan
² Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Yoshinodai 3-1-1, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 229-8510, Japan
³ Nagoya University, Furocho, Chikusa, Nagoya, 464-8601, Japan

Abstract

We describe the current status and the prospect for the development of a monolithic Ge:Ga detector array for SAFARI. Our goal is to develop a 64 × 64 array for the 45 – 110 μm band, on the basis of existing technologies to make 3 × 20 monolithic arrays for the AKARI satellite. For the AKARI detector we have achieved a responsivity of 10 A/W and a read-out noise limited NEP (noise equivalent power) of 10^-17 W/. We plan to develop the detector for SAFARI with technical improvements; significantly reduced read-out noise with newly developed cold read-out electronics, mitigated spectral fringes as well as optical cross-talks with a multi-layer antireflection coat. Since most of the elemental technologies to fabricate the detector are flight-proven, high technical readiness levels (TRLs) should be achieved for fabricating the detector with the above mentioned technical demonstrations. We demonstrate some of these elemental technologies showing results of measurements for test coatings and prototype arrays.