Development of a next generation imaging, photon counting detector

This research had been focusing to develop a large format UV photon counting detector which matches the requirements of next-generation space telescopes, such as the proposed Large UV Optical Infrared Surveyor. The LinoSPAD, SAMPIC, and TOFPET electronic fast timing readout device performances were investigated. They were operated in multi-channel mode of measurement. The APD detector was used to detect the illuminating light source for LinoSPAD and TOFPET. SAMPIC and TOFPET were tested with an MCP detector using a pixelated readout device. The three very fast timing electronic multichannel readout devices with two detectors, were tested and analysed in the experimental work. The accuracy of their energy and timing characteristics such as energy in ADC units, signal amplitude, time resolution and time-over-threshold, was measured to see if they provide accurate charge measurement necessary for high spatial resolution with the MCP detector. The various centroiding techniques were used to calculate the centre position of the charge cloud footprint. The measurement of energy, amplitude, and time-over-threshold performance of the SAMPIC and TOFPET was evaluated for sub-pixel centroiding to achieve high spatial resolution with the MCP. The signal's amplitude and time over threshold centroiding were successfully used to calculate the centre position of charge cloud footprint. All-pixels Gaussian fitting can be used to centroiding the charge cloud footprint with highly precision, but lower accuracy as the calculated positions have an offset from the actual position. The 3-cross Gaussian, Parabola, and Lorentzian fitting appear more suitable to centroiding a charge cloud footprint with some acceptable linear distortion.