Traditionally, focal plane arrays require extensive external focal plane electronics (FPE) to provide clocks and biases as well as to digitize the analog output signals. The FPE has to be well-designed and is typically large, heavy and powerhungry. Most importantly, the FPE has to be placed some distance away from the FPA, which complicates maintaining low noise performance throughout the complete system. To offer an alternative to the discrete electronics, Rockwell Scientific has developed a new approach known as the SIDECAR application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC). This single chip provides all the functionality necessary to operate an infrared array with the convenience of a pure digital interface to the outside world. This paper will present performance data on the latest generation of the SIDECAR ASIC operating the JWST H2RG detector arrays at cryogenic temperature. The test results demonstrate that an ASIC based FPA system will meet or exceed all performance requirements for the JWST mission. The SIDECAR ASIC has been selected by NASA to become the FPA drive electronics for all shortwave infrared instruments on JWST.
Evidence for a surface self-cleaning sputtering mechanism in fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry involving significant sputtering from the bulk of the glycerol matrix has been obtained from (a) the time dependence of sample ion abundances and chemical noise for bioorganic compounds, (b) determinations of the sputtering volume in glycerol solution, and (c) studies of in siru chemical and biochemical reactions. The relevance of these results for optimal samplehatrix preparation in analytical applications is pointed out.
Ion beam synthesis of Si and Ge nanocrystals in an SiO2 matrix is performed by precipitation from supersaturated solid solutions created by ion implantation. Films of SiO2 on (100) Si substrates are implanted with Si and Ge at doses 1 × 1016/cm2 - 5 × 1016/cm2. Implanted samples are subsequently annealed to induce precipitation of Si and Ge nanocrystals. Raman spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy indicate a correlation between visible room-temperature photoluminescence and the formation of diamond cubic nanocrystals approximately 2–5 nm in diameter in annealed samples. As-implanted but unannealed samples do not exhibit luminescence. Rutherford backscattering spectra indicate a steepening of implanted Ge profiles upon annealing. Photoluminescence spectra are correlated with annealing temperatures, and compared with theoretical predictions for various possible luminescence mechanisms, such as radiative recombination of quantum-confined excitons, as well as possible localized state luminescence related to structural defects in SiO2. Potential optoelectronic device applications are also discussed.
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