Development of the microcalorimeter detector for the Athena/X-ray Integral Field Unit

Stephen J. Smith; Joseph S. Adams; Simon R. Bandler; Rachel B. Borrelli; James A. Chervenak; Felipe A. Colazo-Petit; Renata S. Cumbee; Fred M. Finkbeiner; Joshua D. Fuhrman; Samuel V. Hull; Richard L. Kelley; Caroline A. Kilbourne; F. Scott Porter; Asha Rani; Kazuhiro Sakai; Nicholas A. Wakeham; Edward J. Wassell; Michael C. Witthoeft; Sang H. Yoon

doi:10.1117/12.3019198

21 August 2024 Development of the microcalorimeter detector for the Athena/X-ray Integral Field Unit

Stephen J. Smith, Joseph S. Adams, Simon R. Bandler, Rachel B. Borrelli, James A. Chervenak, Felipe A. Colazo-Petit, Renata S. Cumbee, Fred M. Finkbeiner, Joshua D. Fuhrman, Samuel V. Hull, Richard L. Kelley, Caroline A. Kilbourne, F. Scott Porter, Asha Rani, Kazuhiro Sakai, Nicholas A. Wakeham, Edward J. Wassell, Michael C. Witthoeft, Sang H. Yoon

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 13093, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray; 130930V (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3019198
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2024, Yokohama, Japan

Abstract

The X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU) will be a microcalorimeter instrument on ESA’s Athena X-ray observatory, set to launch around 2037. Athena recently underwent a reformulation exercise resulting in a simplified X-IFU architecture, with a new baseline configuration featuring fewer pixels and readout channels. Newly developed transition edge sensor pixels that are slower and have reduced magnetic field sensitivity have helped enable the new instrument design whilst maintaining flagship quality science. In this paper, we report on the status and plan for continued development of the X-IFU microcalorimeter array. We describe details of the current pixel architecture and performance specifications. We will present the design of the first full scale microcalorimeter arrays that have the necessary flight like electrical and mechanical interfaces for X-IFU. These arrays will undergo testing in a focal-plane assembly (FPA) Development Model (DM) in Europe later in 2024 and serve as a precursor to the X-IFU Engineering Model detector.

Conference Presentation

(2024) Published by SPIE. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

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Stephen J. Smith, Joseph S. Adams, Simon R. Bandler, Rachel B. Borrelli, James A. Chervenak, Felipe A. Colazo-Petit, Renata S. Cumbee, Fred M. Finkbeiner, Joshua D. Fuhrman, Samuel V. Hull, Richard L. Kelley, Caroline A. Kilbourne, F. Scott Porter, Asha Rani, Kazuhiro Sakai, Nicholas A. Wakeham, Edward J. Wassell, Michael C. Witthoeft, and Sang H. Yoon "Development of the microcalorimeter detector for the Athena/X-ray Integral Field Unit", Proc. SPIE 13093, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 130930V (21 August 2024); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3019198

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