ATHENA X-IFU thermal filters development status toward the end of the instrument phase-A

Date Issued
2018
Author(s)
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Lo Cicero, Giuseppe
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Parodi, Giancarlo
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Rauw, Gregor
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Branduardi-Raymont, Graziella
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Lam Trong, Thien
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Mesnager, Jean-Michel
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Peille, Philippe
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den Hartog, Roland
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den Herder, Jan Willem
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Jackson, Brian
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Barret, Didier
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DOI
Abstract
The X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU) is one of the two instruments of the Athena astrophysics space mission approved by ESA in the Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 Science Programme. The X-IFU consists of a large array of transition edge sensor micro-calorimeters that will operate at 100 mK inside a sophisticated cryostat. A set of thin filters, highly transparent to X-rays, will be mounted on the opening windows of the cryostat thermal shields in order to attenuate the IR radiative load, to attenuate radio frequency electromagnetic interferences, and to protect the detector from contamination. Thermal filters are critical items in the proper operation of the X-IFU detector in space. They need to be strong enough to survive the launch stresses but very thin to be highly transparent to X-rays. They essentially define the detector quantum efficiency at low energies and are fundamental to make the photon shot noise a negligible contribution to the energy resolution budget. In this paper, we review the main results of modeling and characterization tests of the thermal filters performed during the phase A study to identify the suitable materials, optimize the design, and demonstrate that the chosen technology can reach the proper readiness before mission adoption.
Coverage
Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2018: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray
All editors
den Herder, Jan-Willem A.; Nikzad, Shouleh; Nakazawa, Kazuhiro
Series
Volume
10699
Start page
106991R
Conferenece
Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2018: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray
Conferenece place
Austin, Texas, United States
Conferenece date
10-15 June, 2018
Uri
Url
Issn Identifier
0277-786X
Ads BibCode
2018SPIE10699E..1RB
Rights
open.access
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2018 Barbera - ATHENA X-IFU thermal filters development status toward the end of the instrument phase-A.pdf

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