PtSi IR Array in Mosaic Configuration

Abstract

The rapid progress in the focal plane technology enables us to use large format infrared sensors, such as 256 x 256 InSb/HgCdTe and 1040 x 1040 PtSi arrays. Infrared two-dimensional sensors make possible not only the imaging observations but a deep detection limit. The development of a large format infrared array is one of the most important breakthroughs in observational astronomy.

We propose to build a mosaic infrared camera for the SUBARU 8-m telescope. The SUBARU telescope is designed to reach a diffraction limited image at infrared wavelengths with a wide field of view (six arcsec at the Cassegrain focus). The camera is designed to cover the entire field of view with PtSi infrared sensors and to employ a weighted shift-and-add operation and a real-time image processing. The efficiency of the mosaic infrared camera and power of the 8-m telescope have a strong potential to meet challenging problems. Most of the regions of the near infrared sky are not covered with enough sensitivity. It is essential to conduct infrared deep and wide surveys.