Performance characterization of a small SWAP discrete delay line detector for low resource electron spectrometers

Abstract:

Electrons are a fundamental constituent of any plasma, especially within Earth's ionosphere. To study this environment, electron spectrometers are often employed that use a variety of techniques to determine where an amplified electron cloud falls onto a collecting surface. Presented here is a novel method of processing information from electron spectrometer anodes using delay line techniques and inexpensive COTS electronics to track the movement of high-energy particles. Emerging capabilities to build and launch small spacecraft necessitate the reduction of the Size, Weight, and Power (SWAP) of instruments without compromising performance seen in previous generations of the same equipment. Brandywine Photonics and NASA/Goddard, together with other university partners, have worked on a unique anode for an electron spectrometer that uses discrete anodes and discrete time delays between each anode to allow for low power electronics to decode the resulting information. We will present laboratory data showing the successful operation of this approach.