The optical/UV filters for the EPIC experiment

Author

Barbera, Marco ; Collura, A. ; Musso, C.

fYear

1997

fDate

9-15 Nov 1997

Firstpage

618

Abstract

The European Photon Imaging Cameras (EPIC) is an experiment based on cooled CCDs on board the ESA X-ray Multi Mirrors (XMM) satellite due to be launched in 1999. Since the CCDs are sensitive to radiation other than X-rays, namely optical and UV light, filters are necessary to prevent this radiation from reaching the detector sensitive area. Three types of filters were developed, to be used alternatively depending on the target source. Here we report on the medium and thin filters developed by MOXTEK Inc. in Orem, Utah. The two filters, here described, have a 1600 Å polyimide substrate coated with 400 A and 800 Å aluminium for the thin and medium filter, respectively. After manufacturing, the filters have been submitted to an intensive qualification and calibration programme at MOXTEK. Further calibrations, transmission measurements and performance stability, have been carried on or are in progress at one of the EPIC Institutes (Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo)

Keywords

CCD image sensors; X-ray astronomy; artificial satellites; astronomical instruments; optical filters; 1600 angstrom; 400 angstrom; 800 angstrom; Al; EPIC experiment; European Photon Imaging Cameras; MOXTEK Inc; UV filters; X-ray Multi Mirrors satellite; XMM; calibration; cooled CCDs; detector sensitive area; medium filters; optical filters; performance stability; polyimide substrate; qualification; thin filters; transmission; Calibration; Cameras; Mirrors; Optical filters; Optical imaging; Optical sensors; Radiation detectors; Satellites; X-ray detection; X-ray imaging;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Nuclear Science Symposium, 1997. IEEE

Conference_Location

Albuquerque, NM

ISSN

1082-3654

Print_ISBN

0-7803-4258-5

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/NSSMIC.1997.672658

Filename

672658