Pixel Level Gamma-spike Deletion

Sensitive operation of passive sensors in a radiation environment requires a means to eliminate the signals caused by ionizing radiation. Black Forest Engineering proposes a signal processing technique to delete these gamma-spike signals that can be integrated into each unit cell of an infrared planar hybrid sensor chip assembly. This technique is applicable to both scanning and staring systems with unit cells as small as 30 micrometers square. In Phase I, a detailed design of a complete silicon readout IC will be analyzed, and a smalltest chip to verify key portions of design will be built and tested. A full scale readout chip hybridized to IR detectors will be built and tested under radiation conditions in Phase II. This work will provide an effective means to eliminate gamma-spikes in a wide range of sensor systems at low cost on the focal plane without burdening downstream data acquisition and signal processing.