David Franz

Microshutter array system for James Webb Space Telescope

We have developed microshutter array systems at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for use as multi-object aperture arrays for a Near-Infrared Spectrometer (NIRSpec) instrument. The instrument will be carried on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the next generation of space telescope, after the Hubble Space Telescope retires. The microshutter arrays (MSAs) are designed for the selective transmission of light from objected galaxies in space with high efficiency and high contrast. Arrays are close-packed silicon nitride membranes with a pixel size close to 100x200 μm. Individual shutters are patterned with a torsion flexure permitting shutters to open 90 degrees with minimized stress concentration. In order to enhance optical contrast, light shields are made on each shutter to prevent light leak. Shutters are actuated magnetically, latched and addressed electrostatically. The shutter arrays are fabricated using MEMS bulk-micromachining and packaged utilizing a novel single-sided indium flip-chip bonding technology. The MSA flight system consists of a mosaic of 2 x 2 format of four fully addressable 365 x 171 arrays. The system will be placed in the JWST optical path at the focal plane of NIRSpec detectors. MSAs that we fabricated passed a series of qualification tests for flight capabilities. We are in the process of making final flight-qualified MSA systems for the JWST mission.

Development of ultra-high sensitivity wide-band gap UV-EUV detectors at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Rapid progress in the AlGaN (Eg=3.4-6.2eV), 4H-SiC (Eg=3.2eV) and ZnMgO (Eg=2.8-7.9eV) material systems over the last five years has led to the demonstration of a number of opto-electronic devices. These wide energy band gap devices offer several key advantages for space applications, over conventional Si (Eg=1.1eV) based devices, such as visible-blind detection, high thermal stability, better radiation hardness, high breakdown electric field, high chemical inertness and greater mechanical strength. Furthermore, the shorter cut-off wavelength of these material systems eliminates the need for bulky and expensive optical filtering components mitigating risk and allowing for simpler optical design of instrumentation. In this paper, we report on the development at NASA/Goddard of ultra-sensitive, high quantum efficiency AlGaN and 4H-SiC Schottky barrier UV-EUV photodiodes, 4H-SiC UV single photon avalanche diodes, large format 256x256 AlGaN UV p-i-n photodiode arrays and recent progress in elemental substitution for p-type and enhanced n-type doping of ZnO.

Development and Operation of the Microshutter Array System

The microshutter array (MSA) is a key component in the James Webb Space Telescope Near Infrared Spectrometer (NIRSpec) instrument. The James Webb Space Telescope is the next generation of a space-borne astronomy platform that is scheduled to be launched in 2013. However, in order to effectively operate the array and meet the severe operational requirements associated with a space flight mission has placed enormous constraints on the microshutter array subsystem. This paper will present an overview and description of the entire microshutter subsystem including the microshutter array, the hybridized array assembly, the integrated CMOS electronics, mechanical mounting module and the test methodology and performance of the fully assembled microshutter subsystem. The NIRSpec is a European Space Agency (ESA) instrument requiring four fully assembled microshutter arrays, or quads, which are independently addressed to allow for the imaging of selected celestial objects onto the two 4 mega pixel IR detectors. Each microshutter array must have no more than ~8 shutters which are failed in the open mode (depending on how many are failed closed) out of the 62,415 (365x171) total number of shutters per array. The driving science requirement is to be able to select up to 100 objects at a time to be spectrally imaged at the focal plane. The spectrum is dispersed in the direction of the 171 shutters so if there is an unwanted open shutter in that row the light from an object passing through that failed open shutter will corrupt the spectrum from the intended object.

MEMS Microshutter Arrays for James Webb Space Telescope

MEMS microshutter arrays (MSAs) are being developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for use as an aperture array for the Near-Infrared Spectrometer (NirSpec). The instruments will be carried on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the next generation of space telescope after Hubble Space Telescope retires. The microshutter arrays are designed for the selective transmission of light with high efficiency and high contrast. Arrays are close-packed silicon nitride membranes with a pixel size of 105x204 μm. Individual shutters are patterned with a torsion flexure permitting shutters to open 90 degrees with a minimized mechanical stress concentration. Light shields are made on each shutter for light leak prevention to enhance optical contrast. Shutters are actuated magnetically, latched and addressed electrostatically. The shutter arrays are fabricated using MEMS technologies. Single-side indium flip chip bonding is performed to attach microshutter arrays to substrates.