Objective
Observations from space offer huge improvements in many fields of science. They expand widely the range of the spectral information compared to ground applications. Recently, the use of space qualified cryocoolers to decrease the temperature of instruments down to few kelvins and even below, allows the use of new resistive sensors exhibiting outstanding performances when compared to classical devices. For example, new moderately cooled magnetometers arrays can provide a very high magnetic sensitivity for space exploration, thermal X-ray detectors can reach a spectral resolution two orders of magnitude better than Silicon ones, and in the Infrared domain, observations with bolometers will soon be limited only by the photon background of zodiacal light.
The development of large format array detectors in these three fields is today constrained by the amount of signal channels that can be extracted in parallel from the power limited cold stages.
The goal of this network is to provide the community with cryogenic electronic elements performing all the essential functions to preserve the signal quality of a large amount of sensors (pixels). For this purpose, two ways must be followed in parallel:
-the development of new components (transistors) showing low noise and reduced power consumption to replace the JFETs limited to 120 K
-the conception of new circuits based on the cryogenic proven CMOS and SiGe technologies to realize complex functions (amplification, filtering, multiplexing and digitalization…)
The network gathers fundamental solid-state research laboratories for the development of elementary electronic components; a semi-industrial company already manufacturing complex CMOS and SiGe circuits for cryogenic space applications (Herschel), specialists of cryogenic measurements having already the know how for (sub) Kelvin measurements, together with confirmed space instrumentalists
Fields of science
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyspace exploration
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensors
- natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrymetalloids
- natural sciencesphysical sciencestheoretical physicsparticle physicsphotons
Programme(s)
Topic(s)
Call for proposal
FP7-SPACE-2010-1
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
CP - Collaborative project (generic)Coordinator
75015 PARIS 15
France