Engineering topics
Fisher, A.
Publications and source records attributed to Fisher, A..
Low Frequency 1/f Noise on QWIPs, nBn, and Superlattice Focal Plane Array
Noise Equivalent Difference Temperature (NE△T) is a standard performance metric for most infrared focal plane array (FPA) systems. The frequency bandwidth and range associated with NE△T is at high frequency and it does not describe the long time noise behavior or the very low frequency noise of the FPA. Very low frequency noise measurement requires data capture that takes longer time duration and sampling interval. This study investigates low frequency noise in QWIP, nBn and LWIR n-type Complementary Barrier Infrared Detector (CBIRD) FPAs. The corner frequencies are extracted from the power spectral density (PSD) as function of frequency. The peak wavelength, quantum efficiency of QWIP detector are 6.2 µm and 2 %, respectively. QWIP FPA has a mean NE△T ~ 25 mK at an operating temperature of 65 K and an integration time of 16 msec. The mean QWIP PSD plot shows a corner frequency of < 0.5 mHz. The nBn FPA with 4 µm cut off and quantum efficiency of 67 % has NE△T ~ 15.6 mK at an integration time ~ 7.52 msec and an operating temperature of 120 K. The nBn has corner frequency of > 50 mHz. Lastly the n-type CBIRD FPA with a 50% cutoff at 8.8 µm and quantum efficiency of ~ 50 % has an NE△T ~ 18.6 mK at an integration time of 1.86 msec and operating temperature 120 K. The superlattice FPA has a corner frequency ~ 10 mHz. The investigation of the tail on the NE△T histogram reveals that its origin is not accounted for entirely by the high noise current, but also it needs the inclusion of lower responsivity for some pixels.
Superlattice Infrared Photodetector Research at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory
III-V semiconductors offer a highly effective platform for the development of sophisticated heterostructure-based MWIR and LWIR detectors, as exemplified by the high-performance double heterostructure (DH) nBn, XBn, and type- II superlattice infrared detectors. A key enabling design element is the unipolar barrier, which is used to implement the complementary barrier infra-red detector (CBIRD) design for increasing the collection efficiency of photo-generated carriers, and reducing dark current generation without impeding photocurrent flow. Heterostructure superlattice detectors that make effective use of unipolar barriers have demonstrated strong reduction of generation-recombination (G-R) dark current due to Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH) processes. In the last several years we solely focused on the development of antimonide based IR detectors. Recently, we demonstrated RoA values over 14,000 Ohm sq cm for a 9.9 micron cutoff device by incorporating electron-blocking and hole-blocking unipolar barriers. This device has shown 300K BLIP operation with f/2 optics at 87 K with blackbody D* of 1.1x10(exp 11) cm Hz1/2/W.
Cure-rate data for silicone adhesive
Report describes work with concentrations down to 0.07 percent and is useful when applying adhesives in terrestrial and space applications. Cured Silicone retains low-outgassing properties as well as its snap, elongation, and resilience. Tests for hardness of silicone material also showed good results. No gross hysteresis observable on recovery from stretching nor was there any decrease in hardness.
Pretreatment for strong aluminum/epoxy/aluminum bonds
Epoxy-compatible surface primer system permits room-temperature cure of high-strenth aluminum-to-aluminum bondes without using corrosive chromate. System eliminates risk involved in acid systems.
A balloon measurement of the cosmic ray element abundances
The experiment described was flown from Thompson, Canada in August, 1973 to measure the cosmic ray element abundances in the atmosphere. All particles used in the analysis, including approximately 25,000 oxygen and 1600 iron nuclei, had sufficient energy at the top of the atmosphere to trigger the Cerenkov counter. Nuclei between beryllium and nickel were identified, using two plastic scintillators and an acrylic plastic Cerenkov counter. The relative composition and fluxes are determined. Agreement with earlier measurements in the atmosphere is within 5%; however, larger differences appear in composition extrapolated to the top of the atmosphere. In particular, the nitrogen abundance is almost 20% higher and the iron abundance is 20% lower than the generally accepted values.
Mission and spacecraft support functions of the Materials Engineering Branch: A space oriented technology resource
The capabilities of the Materials Engineering Branch (MEB) of the Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, are surveyed. The specific functions of spacecraft materials review, materials processing and information dissemination, and laboratory support, are outlined in the Activity Report. Further detail is provided by case histories of laboratory satellite support and equipment. Project support statistics are shown, and complete listings of MEB publications, patents, and tech briefs are included. MEB staff, and their respective discipline areas and spacecraft liaison associations, are listed.
RF shielded connectors
Gap, where cable joins connector housing, is shielded effectively by composite RF shielding made from suitable potting resin material (fumed silica, thixotropic prepolymer composition), conductive coating (silver-filled, flexible, polyurethane resin), and protective jacket (wax coated housing formed around another wax form having contours shaped to match configuration).
Process for making RF shielded cable connector assemblies and the products formed thereby
A process for making RF shielded cable connector assemblies and the resulting structures is described. The process basically consists of potting wires of a shielded cable between the cable shield and a connector housing to fill in, support, regidize, and insulate the individual wires contained in the cable. The formed potting is coated with an electrically conductive material so as to form an entirely encompassing adhering conductive path between the cable shield and the metallic connector housing. A protective jacket is thereby formed over the conductive coating between the cable shield and the connector housing.
Short time-scale optical pulsations in the night sky background
A network of monitoring stations designed to detect large scale fluorescence emission in the atmosphere has been in operation for over two years. The motivation for the search arises from the prediction that an energetic photon burst would be produced in a supernova and this burst, when absorbed in the atmosphere, would produce fluorescence. This paper reports on observations up to February 1971. No supernova-like events have been found, although 4.4 were expected. One class of non-fluorescence events is described that evidence suggests is related to electrical discharge in the atmosphere. Another type of non-fluorescence pulse appears to be related to particle precipitation in the atmosphere.
Millisecond-time-scale atmospheric light pulses induced by solar activity
Millisecond-time-scale atmospheric light pulses induced by solar activity
A compilation of low outgassing polymeric materials normally recommended for GSFC cognizant spacecraft
Low outgassing polymeric materials for general service and communication satellite structures
Outgassing Studies on Some Polymer Systems for GSFC Cognizant Spacecraft
Outgassing studies on polymers for cognizant spacecraft
GSFC micro-volatile condensable materials system for polymer outgassing studies
Instruments and techniques for quantitative analysis of gases and condensables evolved from polymeric spacecraft materials heated in vacuum
Primary chemical, metallurgical, and electro- optical techniques for evaluating magnetic tapes
Chemical, metallurgical, and electro-optical evaluation methods for magnetic tapes