Electronic and Instrumentation Development

A large part of the realization of a successful research project is due to the instrumentation that is used to bring it about. A careful design, specifically tailored to the needs of a project, and the construction of the different components that constitute telescopes, cameras and similar tools, are the aim of instrumentation science .

ICCUB Contribution

Within the ICCUB research context, its members participate very actively in:

• A positioner for SIDE, MEGARA and BIG-BOSS [+]

  SIDE/MEGARA/BIG-BOSS: The ICCUB has been responsible for the development of the electronics for the fiber positioner built by the AVS Company (Spain). This positioner has had successive prototypes starting with the one for the SIDE/GTC, up to the MEGARA/GTC (3th generation) MOS spectrograph. Both will operate in the Gran Telescopio de Canarias (GTC). The positioner has also been proposed for the BIG-BOSS Spectrograph (NOAO-USA).

• The deployable probe arms for MIRADAS [+]

  MIRADAS is a 3rd generation near-infrared multi-object echelle spectrograph working at spectral resolution of 20.000 for the GTC which is expected to start operations in 2016. The ICCUB, as member of the MIRADAS consortium, is in charge of the design of the deployable probe arms with pickoff mirror optics.

• Development and implementation of an Image Stabilization System for Solar Orbiter [+]

  The ICCUB is part of the Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager instrument for the Solar Orbiter mission (SO/ PHI). The ICCUB responsibility is the development and implementation of an Image Stabilization System (ISS) that includes a camera, a controller for a piezo-electric based Tip-Tilt mirror, and the control firmware for the FPGA that controls the whole system. The ISS has been optimized minimizing the power consumption while reaching the required performance.

• The improvement of the TFRM (Fabra-ROA Montsec Telescope) [+]

  TFRM (Fabra-ROA Montsec Telescope): The ICCUB is involved in the improvement of the telescope, which has now begun observing Extrasolar planets, Space debris (ESA program), near-Earth objects (NEOs), Optical counterparts of gamma ray bursts (GRBs) and some X-Ray binaries (microquasars).

• The elaboration of the Science Case document of WEAVE [+]

  WEAVE/WHT: The ICCUB has participated in the elaboration of the Science Case document of WEAVE, a multi-object spectrograph for the William Herschell Telescope (Canary Islands) expected to be approved in 2013 and operational by the end of 2016. This instrument will provide complementary on-ground spectroscopic observations for the Gaia mission (ESA).

• The design of radiation-tolerant Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) for CTA, LHCb upgrade and PET [+]

  CTA (Cherenkov Telescope Array). The CTA project is an initiative to build the next generation ground-based very high energy gamma-ray instrument. It will serve as an open observatory to a wide astrophysics community and will provide a deep insight into the non-thermal high-energy universe. In addition to Physics case studies, the ICCUB is involved in the design and prototyping of CTA telescope cameras. This activity involves designing ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) for preamplification, signal processing and triggering.

  Radiation detectors/ASICs: The ICCUB is expert on the development of radiation detectors and instrumentation thereof. It holds expertise in the design and testing of low noise and high speed acquisition systems for scientific instrumentation and medical imaging, as well as for satellite and space missions’ instrumentation. Particularly, the ICCUB researchers and engineers have more than ten years of experience in the design of radiation-tolerant ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits) and discrete electronics for high speed photodetectors like photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) or Silicon photomultipliers (SiPM, MPPC, GAPDs, etc.). In collaboration with UB electronics department, they designed, produced, tested and installed the electronics of SPD (a subdetector of the calorimeter of the LHCb detector at CERN) and are at present working in different ASICs for the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA), the design of an ASIC for the calorimeter and the new Scintillating Fiber Tracker of the upgraded LHCb, and the development of ASICs for new PET (Positron Emission Tomography) systems based in silicon photomultipliers.

Lines of Research

• Development of Science instruments for the Gran Telescopio de Canarias and WHT.
• Robotic and remote astronomy.
• Development of Silicon PM (SiPM, MPPC) readout ASIC for PET and ToF PET applications.

Members