The optical blocking filter for the ATHENA wide field imager: ongoing activities towards the conceptual design

Date Issued
2015
Author(s)
•
Branduardi-Raymont, G.
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•
•
Eder, J.
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Kamisiński, T.
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Meidinger, N.
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•
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Parodi, G.
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Pilch, A.
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Rataj, M.
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Rauw, G.
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Sciortino, L.
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•
Wawer, P.
DOI
Abstract
ATHENA is the L2 mission selected by ESA to pursue the science theme "Hot and Energetic Universe" (launch scheduled in 2028). One of the key instruments of ATHENA is the Wide Field Imager (WFI) which will provide imaging in the 0.1-15 keV band over a 40'x40' large field of view, together with spectrally and time-resolved photon counting. The WFI camera, based on arrays of DEPFET active pixel sensors, is also sensitive to UV/Vis photons. Optically generated electron-hole pairs may degrade the spectral resolution as well as change the energy scale by introducing a signal offset. For this reason, the use of an X-ray transparent optical blocking filter is needed to allow the observation of all type of X-ray sources that present a UV/Visible bright counterpart. In this paper, we describe the main activities that we are carrying on for the conceptual design of the optical blocking filter, that will be mounted on the filter wheel, in order to satisfy the scientific requirements on optical load from bright UV/Vis astrophysical source, to maximize the X-ray transmission, and to withstand the severe acoustic and vibration loads foreseen during launch.

Coverage
UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XIX
All editors
Siegmund, Oswald H.
Series
Volume
9601
Start page
960109
Conferenece
SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications
Conferenece date
9-13 August 2015
Uri
Url
Issn Identifier
0277-786X
Ads BibCode
2015SPIE.9601E..09B
Rights
open.access
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