#147 RESEARCH EDUCATION IP AND TECHNOLOGY DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT — magma™ © 2024
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LA JOLLA, BUSINESS DISTRICT., CALIFORNIA — SKYROCK STARTRADE™ is moving quickly to link monetization, liquidity and high traffic marketization of digital assets through trading by 2028. In order to fund new projects in Research Education Innovation, Computing beyond Quanta, and its most recent initiative: Video Game Defense Simulation Development for Research and Training; — which has been kept secret for two years.
Digital Assets Under Management: US $1.355 Bn;
Last Updated: Friday, January 05, 2024 10:42:33 PMDigital Assets Under Management: US $833 M;
Last Updated: Wednesday, December 03, 2023 03:33:33 AM
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Email: skyrockstartrade@yahoo.com
Currently Trading with risk management and follow up exit strategy:
- US $584,591,061,5525
- US $6,442,721.06
- US $6,442,721.06
- US $21,542,931,5781
“TRANSPARENCY IS HONEST BUSINESS!”
“We [Are] magma., WE THINK OF NEW ERAS, LET’S PLAY!™”
Update: Wednesday, January 03, 2024 01:11:33 PM
Company goals:
“To Create a Business to Business (B2B) — Company to Company Advisory Opportunity, and to Build From a Collaborative Executive Role; — a Foundation for Beyond Quanta Technology Infrastructure Through Computational Simulation(s) Video Game Development, Software Tools Building and Instant Payments.”
Please see the following links for more information:
2. 1905, 1906, 1907 — Family Patent and New Patent Notice(s):
marckwordt patents
Market Opportunity for Businesses: “The Chairman of the Federal Reserve is also encouraged to evaluate the extent to which a United States Central Banking Digital Currency; (CBDC), based on the potential design options, could enhance or impede the ability of monetary policy to function effectively as a critical macroeconomic stabilization tool.”
The United States Federal Reserve is Opening the following business opportunities for the future of instant payments worldwide:
Financial Opportunity: (iii) the potential relationship between a CBDC and private sector-administered digital assets;
“We should prioritize timely assessments of potential benefits and risks under various designs to ensure that the United States remains a leader in the international financial system.”
Safe guards in the national interest will be in place through legislation 210 days after executive order 14067 has been issued:
Market Value Filter Search and new Stock Screener 2.0 Tutorial:
Terms of services and general user information
Neither magma™ or SKYROCK STARTRADE™., LLC. his founder, nor any officer, director, employee, shareholder, contractor, friend(s) or any person associated with it, (collectively, SKYROCK STRATRADE™., LLC. or its partner www.tradingview.com), is a registered investment advisor.
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In other News:
Gold Prices Today Sunday, December 24, 2023 | per google finance:
- Gold Spot Prices:
Today: Per Ounce US $2,062.02
Yesterday: Per Ounce US $2,052.22 - Per Gram:
Today: US $66.30
Yesterday: US $ 65.99
“We [Are] magma., WE THINK OF NEW ERAS, LET’S PLAY!™”
Copyright © 2022, 2023 — Forever, SKYROCK STARTRADE™., LLC. All rights reserved.
US $6,442,721.06 + US $6,442,721.06 = US $12,885,442.66 | magma™ © 2023
US $12,885,442.66 + US $21,542,931,5781 = US $34,428,373.70 | magma™ © 2023
Gold — Live Charts | Image courtesy of tradingview.com https://www.usagold.com/live-gold-price-today/
Petroleum [OXY] | Image courtesy of Tradingview.com | https://www.tradingview.com/chart/
Berkshire Hathaway [BRK.B] | Image courtesy of Tradingview.com | https://www.tradingview.com/chart/
FACTS:
I am an Honorable United States Marine; -0311 Retired, and before becoming a founder at SKYROCK STARTRADE™., LLC. I was a full-time bank-teller at Bank of America in Northern California. After school, I joined Electronic Arts, (“It’s in the Games”); one of the largest video games publishers in the world; eventually became a professor/instructor of Computer Arts and Visual Effects for film and Video Game Development at The Art Institute and the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.
I also served as Instructor in a supervisory role for summer courses taught at UCBerkeley, UCLA, and Villanova University in Philadelphia for a 3rd party vendor company.
In addition, I was Vice President of Operations for Aquavian, an Intercontinental logistic firm located in Los Angeles.
My company is an Apple® registered developer and a member of the United States Federal Reserve Instant Payment Central Banking System.
I possess video game development experience in the form of 3 major game world-released-titles through Electronic Arts Redwood Shores[.]
These products are:
1. God Father; Bond,
2. “From Russia with Love.”; and
3. Tiger Woods, PGA Tour.
Updated: Wednesday January 03, 2024 09:36 PM
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Then, like, comment and subscribe for more awesome content!
— Oh and, come back often for new creative-input™ © 2023
Market Opportunity for Businesses: “The Chairman of the Federal Reserve is also encouraged to evaluate the extent to which a United States Central Banking Digital Currency; (CBDC), based on the potential design options, could enhance or impede the ability of monetary policy to function effectively as a critical macroeconomic stabilization tool.”
The United States Federal Reserve is Opening the following business opportunities for the future of instant payments worldwide:
Financial Opportunity: (iii) the potential relationship between a CBDC and private sector-administered digital assets;
“We should prioritize timely assessments of potential benefits and risks under various designs to ensure that the United States remains a leader in the international financial system.”
Safe guards in the national interest will be in place through legislation 210 days after executive order 14067 has been issued:
I am writing you to express my interest in developing a dynamic research-education opportunity for a mutually beneficial funding collaboration strategy to focus on the health of human beings traveling to the cosmos.
“Primary objectives include: “Starship Building Research and development of all parts (piece by piece) starting with the engine technology and progressing to other disciplines and areas of expertise by creating immersive-interactive and experienced-based training software applications to simulate accurate cosmos’ travel results.”
The goal is very specific, to build a digital representation of real world physics, and to construct the necessary conditions simulating real dynamic forces at play[.]
At this junction, we will have accurate data available to make extremely accurate decisions to find every all available solutions to optimize time, mitigate, manage and lower risk factors at an exponential rate of creation[.]
The creative approach, will ensure data driven results answering the questions “how and why” (quantitative) of each and every question; processing this data at a very rapid rate will helps achieve the goals in record time[.]
CONCEPT ART: VIDEO GAME DEVELOPMENT
sungod™ Engine statue; — property of magma™ © 2024
“This is our Corporate Portfolio Research Education Work. — In progress…”
maker’s mark: g™
A Universal Creation 4∞+.Story’s Date: Tuesday, December 19, 2023 07:44:33 AM
Corporate Journal Entry Last Update:
Wednesday, January 03, 2024 01:11:33 PM
Sunday, December 24, 2023 02:20:55 AM
Thursday, December 21, 2023 05:47:55 AM
Wednesday, December 20, 2023 04:44:55 AM
Wednesday, December 20, 2023 01:55:55 AM
Tuesday, December 19, 2023 04:44:42 PM
Market Opportunity for Businesses: “The Chairman of the Federal Reserve is also encouraged to evaluate the extent to which a United States Central Banking Digital Currency; (CBDC), based on the potential design options, could enhance or impede the ability of monetary policy to function effectively as a critical macroeconomic stabilization tool.”
The United States Federal Reserve is Opening the following business opportunities for the future of instant payments worldwide:
Financial Opportunity: (iii) the potential relationship between a CBDC and private sector-administered digital assets;
“We should prioritize timely assessments of potential benefits and risks under various designs to ensure that the United States remains a leader in the international financial system.”
Safe guards in the national interest will be in place through legislation 210 days after executive order 14067 has been issued:
I am writing you to express my interest in developing a dynamic research-education opportunity for a mutually beneficial funding collaboration strategy to focus on the health of human beings traveling to the cosmos.
“Primary objectives include: “Starship Building Research and development of all parts (piece by piece) starting with the engine technology and progressing to other disciplines and areas of expertise by creating immersive-interactive and experienced-based training software applications to simulate accurate cosmos’ travel results.”
The goal is very specific, to build a digital representation of real world physics, and to construct the necessary conditions simulating real dynamic forces at play[.]
At this junction, we will have accurate data available to make extremely accurate decisions to find every all available solutions to optimize time, mitigate, manage and lower risk factors at an exponential rate of creation[.]
The creative approach, will ensure data driven results answering the questions “how and why” (quantitative) of each and every question; processing this data at a very rapid rate will helps achieve the goals in record time[.]
These videos illustrate two great examples:
At this junction, we will have accurate data available to make extremely accurate decisions to find every all available solutions to optimize time, mitigate, manage and lower risk factors at an exponential rate of creation[.]
SYNERGETIC INTELLIGENT NETWORKS™ (SY^™)
symbol γ = photon
symbol λ = lambda (Wavelength)
“Lambda is the eleventh letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the voiced (See video link:) alveolar lateral approximant.
In the system of Greek numerals, lambda has a value of 30. Lambda is derived from the Phoenician Lamed. Lambda gave rise to the Latin L and the Cyrillic El.”
[γF(λ = 0)] = photon Force lambda variable “zero value” at rest.
Still working on this research as of: Wednesday, December 20, 2023 12:59 AM
In principle: As derived from the “photoMic” definition; one unit of light~Force (marckwordt) equals one newton of force applied per meter squared: as in 55Dk^ Or fifty five decillion (a cardinal number represented in the U.S. by 1 followed by 33 zeros, and in Great Britain by 1 followed by 60 zeros.)
However, in photoM terms: 55Dk are represented by: twenty units at zero value (60 zeros plus three fives and )
High above the googolplexMax you find, the:
Marckwordt: 0.-55⁵⁵k-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵-⁵⁵⁵(0 γF *1 Pa = 1 N/m²)
By contrast: Planck time, the shortest physically meaningful interval of time ≈ 1.71×10−50
Orders of Magnitude
10-24 1 yoctoannum 1 ya and less, 10 ya, 100 ya
DARK SPEAR™ User Interface, Graphical User Interface, User Experience, Graphical ExCode™
SYNERGETIC INTELLIGENT NETWORKS™ (SY^™)
FAR BEYOND THE APPLICATION OF KINETIC FORCES, FAR BEYOND KNOWN PHYSICS, FAR BEYOND QUANTA.
As derived from the pressure definition, one pascal equals one newton per meter squared (1 Pa = 1 N/m²)
We [Are] magma™
THEORETICAL CALCULATIONS IN LIGHT, ENERGY, VIBRATION, ACCELERATION, FREQUENCY AND DISTANCE. How do materials blend into one another after melting and then, restructure their mesh much faster, for stronger, more dynamic accommodation of particles at higher traveling speeds through different atmospheric and temperature conditions.
re-STRUCTURING OF THE SUBSTRUCTURAL LATTICE ARRAY OF PARTICLE PROCESSES with new materials which blend into one another after melting and then, restructure their mesh much faster, for stronger, much-more dynamic accommodation of particles at higher traveling speeds through different atmospheric and temperature conditions by…
;)
Block chain-is technology(s) will be used in the future of instant payments as a core technology; with that in mind, I have the desire to monetize digital assets. We can start with $100,000.00 per week and go from there:
a. DARPA Monetizes my Digital Assets at a rate of US $10,000.00 to US $100,000.00 — $1,000,000.00 per day, per week, per month, per year for the next 3, 6, 9, 33, 99 years.
Full Disclosure: “Transparency is Honest Business”
Funding Source: Trading in the Block-Chain.
https://medium.com/@machineworkstation03/128-magma-magmagrid-89af8e2e2cff
https://medium.com/@machineworkstation03/139-magma-d548b92e6b68
b. The money goes towards funding our business ventures and to foster future technology development alliances. i.e.
To further technology research and development. (R&D) into the fields of Instant Payments/Video Game Development for Web3 and Beyond for (Augmented Human Health Through Bio and Photon- Energy Engineering and Programming).
By this technology I mean: Beyond Quanta Computing Development and the creation of: “Synergetic Intelligence Networks”
The first Synergetic Cell:
https://medium.com/@machineworkstation03/137-magma-um-ionika-photomic-beam-controller-forward-mass-vectoring-and-particle-78c0c31e07d0
Advanced Technology Conceptualization:
https://medium.com/@machineworkstation03/143-magma-synergetic-intelligence-networks-the-immergence-of-data-packages-which-create-states-14837cd836be
Education Research Development will also be established for:
SunGod™ Engines
https://medium.com/@machineworkstation03/142-magma-day-1-getting-started-with-java-f84d54e15e26
My technical experience includes video game development at one of the largest publishers in the world; “EA Sports” with three major titles under my belt. 3D Autodesk® Maya® Instructor/Professorship in a supervisory role at various universities nationwide; and Research Education Technology Pioneering & Visionary at present for SKYROCK STARTRADE™., LLC.
Pipeline Development:
https://medium.com/@machineworkstation03/119-magma-pre-pro-fb25eb57cac5
Java Environment Development
https://medium.com/@machineworkstation03/123-magma-researching-thinking-designing-idealizing-picking-up-the-sweetest-fruits-of-f85e4faa88e3
Family Patent:
https://medium.com/@machineworkstation03/120-magma-universal-patent-notice-u-2023-synthesis-tools-research-education-and-how-to-4660f0ba5037
Cordial regards,
g. m. marckwordt
Founder
858–220–0446
skyrockstartrade@yahoo.com
SKYROCK STARTRADE™., LLC.
“WE THINK OF NEW ERAS!”
“We [Are] magma™”
clusterFieldVoidatZeroValueInfinity = cfvatZv^∞
THE CONTAINER HAS ZERO VALUE, AND ITS VALUE IS EMPTY[.]
The magma™ : PIPELINE™ — TIMELINE™ — PROCESSES™ : FOR DIGITAL PRODUCTION AND VISUAL EFFECTS FOR FILM, VIDEO GAME DEVELOPMENT AND STORY TELLING[.]
This software, conceptual illustrations, tangible, in-tangible-data, products, services, research, novel writing cost(s), living expenses, office lease/rent, revenue, profit, break-even points and risk management data [ALL DATA] for public viewing is intellectual property of:
Welcome to magma™ — THIS particular story and all of them in the series is currently [work in progress] and you may find errors in them. Please point them out, it’ll help us focus on fixing them[.]
Your love for learning — never stops;
Because crafting your skills years after you left school is what kept you reaching for and obtaining your dream jobs[.]
Learning that the satisfaction for the love of crafting your skills only adds to creating the conditions which help you find the dream jobs you started going to school in the first place for..; that those skills just increased your abilities to keep crafting a next level in your skills as designed for a far better, faster version; that all of the time you spent doing so, served for one thing, and one thing only…
to CREATE your own way and to BUILD your DESIRE(S) what ever those may be[.]
For me, my purpose has always been driven by quantifiable growth. So that my company will benefit from my skill building and unequaled financial strategies[.]
When you start at zero… and you are on-no one else’s timeline. You are the walking realization of your past thinking. Your strong desire to learn propels you forward, and when you reach those goals, and satisfaction begins to set in; you turn around and see the fruits of your labor. These life giving resources are the nectar of your effort and then, excited and without much rest, you just want to do it all over again[.]
Purpose: To think, imagine, idealize, conceptualize and create to build the most exciting video-game-play with never before seen panoramic views and engaging characters we can identify with… through visual effects for film, video game development, plus digital production techniques created by a former professor of VFX and Video Game Development[.]
This hands on working experience, as well as the two decades after school spent thinking, and taking action towards the desire to build a strong development company[.]
Learning that the love for learning after school; — never stopped[.]
Because learning is what fuels the influence towards good to great decision making, to build a much stronger body of knowledge, one requires to spend time building the library for it. The only way that can be achieved, is by crafting our skill-set[.]
Which by the way, you will have access to soon. The background of the effort placed forth in which the value of education research spent gathering the resources, bit by bit by working ardiously both in the private and public sectors at renounced nationwide institution of knowledge; where the Arts, Science have seen much awaited Technological breakthroughs expand our way of thought through the combined disciplines of hardware and software engineering to produce much loved and new inventive ways to do things, to create general conditions for all of us to enjoy. Fresh and always forward moving[.]
Some of these learning and teaching experiences have taken place at the Art Institute, the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, and summers at UCBerkeley, UCLA, and Villanova University in Philadelphia[.]
Also, tangible research has been conducted at — Stanford University, in northern California[.] and professional business practices have been built on one of the most amazing foundations… ever gathered by working at:
Central Technology Group. (CTG) at Electronic Arts Redwood Shores, EA. Headquarters[.]
We focus on experience, our aim is for the beautiful, we find ‘Quality is emphasis on the delightful; not so much On the commercial aspect of our operations[.]
Instant money transfer™ [IMTs™] products & services[.] Copyright © 2023
We, at magma™ are in the exciting creative process of building this course and look forward to your feed back. The course will contain approximately eight to twelve lectures focusing on how to learn through practice and repetition; rather than just lecture time, we will build assets (parts); part by part, creating [nodes], which will transition into (modules) which in turn, will also teach us how to put the subject matter together from thoughts, ideas, and grow them into concept drawings, object programming, and into modeling, animation, VFX and at the same time, structuring all of these moving parts together piece by piece[.]
Until we have the whole game (system) running smoothly[.]
These are live documents which chronicle our Corporate Journal Entries; and they are geared towards documenting the progress of our processes. Please check back or subscribe to get notifications, as daily changes are made. — Thank you for your support; we love your well thought of and constructive feedback[.] — CHECK BACK OFTEN! OUR BUILDING PROGRESS IS BOTH VERY EXCITING AND CONTAGIOUS! TELL YOUR FRIENDS! :)
All addendum(s), amendments, edits, new additions, are the Intellectual Property of its respective owners, in this case, magma™ by SKYROCK STARTRADE™ is the rightful owner and its Copyrights, Terms of Service and any other private documentation for public review [unless expressed differently], is covered in the following form: ALL “past, present, future.” DATA, data types, data growth, data assets etc… [ALL] is by international and intercontinental law, the “dataIP™” belonging to:
“We [Are] magma™.”
“WE THINK OF NEW ERAS, LET’S PLAY!”
We [Are] magma™ trademark and logomark by SKYROCK STARTRADE™., LLC. All rights reserved © 2023[.]
Mario Marckwordt
Aerospace Engineer UCB Space Sciences Laboratory
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mario-marckwordt-4078a0bb
For almost 20 years I have worked at the Space Sciences Laboratory(SSL) at UC Berkeley. I entered as a Development Technician, progressed to Research Engineer, advancing to my present position as Aerospace Engineer II. Quite a journey from my life as a truck driver earning minimum wage. This route, from one extreme to the other, has taught me how to interact with a diversity of people, from Nobel Prize winners to assembly line workers. Never shy to ask questions or share my knowledge. Always capable of engaging with all of our team members. In the many projects I have participated in, I have been part of a team effort that always achieved our goals.
At SSL I transitioned from project to project often. Bringing newly acquired expertise, such as vacuum system troubleshooting and repair, to my next project. Many times I used existing wiring diagrams, schematics, blueprints, or technical papers to optimize or calibrate existing equipment for project specific tasks. Use of common laboratory tools such as digital multi-meters(DMM), oscilloscopes, high and low voltage power supplies, and, of course, hand tools was routine. Much of my work was performed in a clean room, wearing appropriate cleanroom attire and PPE, at an ESD compliant work station.
In addition to my technical duties, I also managed a research laboratory located at Addition 339 Space Sciences Laboratory. I was responsible for the procurement of all chemicals and compressed gases, laboratory safety, and training of lab personnel. Record keeping for administrative purposes was performed using Microsoft Office, Word, Power Point, and Excel.
— mario marckwordt
Aerospace Engineer
UCB Space Sciences Laboratory
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mario-marckwordt-4078a0bb/
The EUV detector of the Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma
Spectrometer Mario Marckwordt
See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at:
Article in *.pdf file format:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/252740196
Source website credits: https://www.researchgate.net/
See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/252740196
The EUV detector of the Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer
Article in Proceedings of SPIE — The International Society for Optical Engineering · December 2003
DOI: 10.1117/12.512279
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Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
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The EUV detector of the Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma
Spectrometer Mario Marckwordt and Geoffrey Gainesb, Jerry Edelsteina, Richelieu Hemphilla, Jeff Hulla, Mark Hurwitza , Michael Lamptona, Ken McKeea, Timothy P. Sasseenc, Michael Sholla, Oswald Siegmunda, Martin Sirka, Ellen Riddle Taylord a Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley; bGaines Systems; cDept. of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara; dDesign Net Engineering Group
ABSTRACT
We describe the design and development of the CHIPS microchannel plate detector. The Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer will study the diffuse radiation of the interstellar medium in the extreme ultraviolet band pass of 90Å to 260Å. Astronomical fluxes are expected to be low, so high efficiency in the band pass, good out-of-band rejection, low intrinsic background, and minimal image non-linearities are crucial detector properties.
The detector utilizes three 75mm diameter microchannel plates (MCPs) in an abutted Z stack configuration. A NaBr photocathode material deposited on the MCP top surface enhances the quantum detection efficiency.
The charge pulses from the MCPs are centroided in two dimensions by a crossed-delayline (XDL) anode. A four panel thin-film filter array is affixed above the MCPs to reduce sensitivity to airglow and scattered radiation, composed of aluminum, polyimide/boron, and zirconium filter panes. The detector is housed in a flight vacuum chamber to preserve the hygroscopic photocathode, the pressure sensitive thin-film filters, and to permit application of high voltage during ground test.
Keywords: UNEX, CHIPS, EUV, MCP detector, thin-film filter, delayline, XDL
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer (CHIPS) will conduct a full-sky survey and record spectra of diffuse emission within the relatively unexplored EUV wavelength band between 90 and 260 Å1,2. The entire sky will be mapped in 4°¥ 26° tiles or ‘resels’. Diffuse light enters the CHIPS spectrograph through a six-slit array, onto six corresponding diffraction gratings. The diffracted light is focused onto the single common MCP detector3.
The CHIPS detector head was derived in part from the GALEX sealed tube detector design, sharing the dimensions and format of microchannel plates, and utilizing a similar detector body and XDL anode4. The alumina/kovar brazed body utilizes an annular spring ring for clamping the MCPs, designed to prevent motion under the Delta II launch environment5. Altered for CHIPS were the inclusion of a biased thin-film filter array, and a flight vacuum enclosure with a flight operable door mechanism.
Table 1: CHIPS Detector System Properties
Property Value
Field of view 65 mm diameter
Pixel format (Telemetered) 4096 x 4096
Avg. resolution (FWHM) X: 83 μm, Y: 68 μm
Pixel size (Telemetered) 25.3 μm x 27.4 μm
Background rate 0.232 cps/cm2 (flight theshold)
Quantum efficiency (without filters) 114 Å : 53.6%, 171 Å : 35.6%, 256 Å : 26.6%
Figure 1: CHIPS Detector Head, Back and Front Redundant Spacom high voltage supplies are mounted directly to the detector backplate. RF shaping amplifers are also mounted to the backplate along with an electronic image stimulus and high-voltage current sensing module.
The Time-to-Digital Converter module in the remote electronics stack computes event coordinates from the amplified anode timing signals. A compact printed circuit ‘stop’ delayline was designed and built for CHIPS, and packaged as a TDC module cover6.
Figure 2: Functional block diagram of detector head and associated electronics
2.0 DETECTOR COMPONENTS
An exploded view of the CHIPS detector head is shown in Figure 3 below.
2.1 FILTERS
An array of thin-film filters is mounted 8.8mm above the microchannel plates to improve the detector out-of-band rejection.
The filter array consists of four rectangular filter panels epoxied into a single planar filter frame. It is biased positive with respect to the microchannel plates to prevent secondary electrons generated at the filter from being counted at the detector.
The filter materials were chosen to maximize instrument sensitivity, accounting for in-band transmission, out-of- band rejection, and spectral location on the detector. The bandpass was filtered with two different filter pairs to provide continuous sensitivity across the band without interruption by filter frame edges, and to observe the scientifically interesting center of the bandpass through two different filters. The upper portion of the detector active area is filtered by an Al Zr pair of panels, and the lower by an Al and a polyimide-boron pair. Whereas aluminum and polyimide-boron have a great deal of flight heritage, the zirconium filter was developed and qualified for flight for the first time on CHIPS7.
In the figure below the advantage of the zirconium filter can be seen. The short wavelength transmission of Zr is comparable to Poly/B, yet has an order of magnitude lower transmission at geocoronal 1216Å. Though the transmissions at 584Å and 834Å are higher, when considering geocoronal line intensities the expected overall background rate is a factor of 8 lower with zirconium in place of polyimide-boron. The aluminum filters have the highest geocoronal background due to the high transmission at 584Å.
Figure 5: Out-of-band transmission of Zr, Al, and Poly/B filters
The measured flight filter thicknesses and in-band transmissions are given below.
Table 2: CHIPS flight filter thicknesses
Filter Thickness
Small Aluminum 1462 Å +/-50Å
Large Aluminum 1549 Å +/-50Å
Polyimide-Boron 635Å/544 Å +/-50Å
Zirconium 1057 Å +/-50Å
2.2 MICROCHANNEL PLATES
From five sets of microchannel plates, we wanted to select three suitable sets. The selection process began with visual inspection followed by vacuum resistance measurements to verify set resistance matching. Sets were then operated in a test detector to quantify background rate, the presence of hotspots and deadspots, electron gain, gain uniformity, and pulse height distribution. Finally absolute quantum efficiencies were measured for each candidate top plate to determine the optimal stack configuration. This series of tests provided us with the performance data to select a primary flight, a secondary flight, and an engineering test set.
Table 3: Microchannel plate specifications
Manufacturer Photonis
Diameter 75mm
Thickness 1.0mm
Pore Diameter 12mm
Pore Bias Angle 13°
Resistance Range 70–90 MW
The MCPs were stacked to optimize instrument as well as detector performance. The top MCP is clocked such that the pore angle maximizes the combined efficiency of the six spectrograph channels. Middle and bottom MCPs were abutted in a Z stack configuration to minimize pulse height distribution and ion feedback. The middle and bottom plates were clocked 30° and 60° respectively, relative to the top plate to prevent Moire interference effects in the flat field image8.
Prior to high intensity resolution testing, the MCP stack was subjected to a scrub (or ‘burn-in’), a process which stabilizes the gain, as well as qualifies MCP operation over multiple lifetime charge extractions. Intense, uniform UV illumination is directed at the MCPs as a picoammeter monitors the current landing on the XDL anode.
By adjustment of the MCP high voltage, MCP output current is maintained at a nominal value over the course of approximately one week, until the desired charge extraction and gain stabilization is achieved. The scrub was periodically interrupted for a functional test to determine the effect on the MCP operating gain. The results of these functional tests are shown in Figure 7 below.
Note that MCP gain as a function of voltage diminishes as charge is extracted, and that this loss of gain slows as the charge extraction progresses. Between 03MidScrub and 04PostScrub 6.25 mCoulombs/cm2 was extracted, or nearly half of the total extraction. With a concomitant gain reduction of only 4% of the overall drop, the gain has stabilized for these scrub conditions. The scrub was terminated with 14 mC/cm2 of charge extracted, or the equivalent of ~80 mission lifetimes, with a total gain loss of about a factor of two. The expected gain loss on orbit is therefore far less, and the high voltage headroom available more than adequate.
2.3 ANODE
The position of a charge cloud produced by the MCP stack is measured in two dimensions by the XDL anode. The exposed delayline conductors collect the charge pulse and propagate it towards both ends of the delayline. The difference in arrival time between the pulses is proportional to the position centroid of the charge event. Two delaylines at 90 degrees to one another are superimposed to provide a two-dimensional coordinate measurement, with the stripline area divided roughly equally on both delaylines. The delaylines are designed to maximize overall delay per unit length while minimizing attenuation and dispersion9.
ACTIVE AREA
l
b
x
y
LDL
UDL
Figure 8: CHIPS anode design and dimensions. Anode coordinates are x and y. Spectral (dispersion) and spatial (diffuse) axes are l and b, respectively.
Table 4: Measured values of CHIPS anode. u=upper, l=lower, g=ground plane.
s/n Cu-g Cl-g Cu-l Dt(ns)upper Dt(ns)lower Z0(W)upper Z0(W)lower atten(dB)upper atten(dB)lower 03 3.97 5.01 2.29 71.6 73.2 39.8 36.8 11.20 10.74
2.4 VACUUM CHAMBER
Constructed of nickel-coated aluminum, the vacuum chamber provides secure storage for the delicate filters and photocathode, and a reliable test environment during all phases of prelaunch activities. The vacuum chamber also incorporates a number of additional features. A redundant flight-operable shape memory alloy door mechanism releases a preloaded one-shot aperture door.
Redundant potentiometers sense door position.
A +28V biased 95% transmission mesh covers the entrance aperture to repel thermal ions in the optical cavity. A vacuum port and plug provides a means for evacuating the chamber for test, and sealing it for flight. A μ-metal magnetic shield encompasses the vacuum chamber to prevent environmental magnetic fields from causing detector image shifts.
3.0 DETECTOR PERFORMANCE
For CHIPS, science results depend on the ability to detect and quantify faint emission lines. Crucial detector performance properties are therefore low intrinsic background, in-band efficiency, out-of-band rejection, and low image non-linearities to aid in the detection of small signals.
3.1 DETECTOR BACKGROUND
The background image below was acquired at dark opportunities during instrument calibration. The total integration time is 72,800s, equivalent to roughly half the duration of a single CHIPS pointing. There are six low level hotspots in this image, with one new one appearing in the orbital images. All hotpsots are stationary and low rate, so are easily trimmed from the images on the ground with minimal loss of efficiency or telemetry bandwidth. The total hotspot count rate is 0.149 counts per second, averaged over the full integration time.
When the hotspots are removed and the flight upper threshold of 75 is set, the background density of the spectral area is measured at 0.232 cps/cm2.
Figure 9: Deep background image of CHIPS flight detector.
As expected, on orbit the detector background is higher than on the ground, due to the larger population of energetic particles. Since charged particles have a different pulse height distribution (PHD) from photons, the SNR of the instrument may be improved by using the upper threshold to discriminate the charged particles. The optimal upper threshold setting is determined by comparing a ground-based photon PHD to the orbital background PHD. The two PHDs are shown in the first panel in Figure 10 below. In the second panel the event rates are shown as a function of upper threshold setting. From this graph it is evident that a setting of 75 will reduce the photon rate by about 95% while reducing the background rate by ~50%. In the third panel the ratio of the photon rate to the square root of the orbital background rate is shown, a function proportional to the resulting SNR of the instrument. The function is maximized at the upper threshold setting of 75. The same treatment is applied to the lower threshold setting, but it shows much less benefit. CHIPS chose to apply an upper threshold of 75 and left the lower threshold at its nominal value.
Figure 10: Charge threshold optimization for efficiency and background
3.2 DETECTION EFFICIENCY
Photocathode materials are typically deposited onto the surface of the top MCP to enhance the detection efficiency
in the bandpass of interest. NaBr was chosen as a photocathode material over the more commonly used KBr
because of its higher overall efficiency in the CHIPS bandpass, as well as its superior airglow rejection10.
Figure 11: Comparison of NaBr and KBr quantum detection efficiencies. KBr is more sensitive to the out-of-band 584Å, 988Å, and 1216Å geocoronal lines. Data courtesy of Ossy Siegmund.
NaBr was evaporated onto the heated, rotating top MCP at a deposition rate of approximately 10 Å/s for a final coating thickness of 14,590 Å. Similar to KBr, the NaBr quantum efficiency can degrade with exposure to humid
air, so great care was taken to minimize this exposure. The ambient air exposure was kept to less than two minutes overall, with zero exposure following the absolute efficiency measurement. The measured absolute quantum efficiencies for the CHIPS detector at normal incidence are given below.
Table 5: CHIPS QDE for bare and NaBr coated MCP
l( Å) 83.4 114 136 171 256 304
bare 0.183 0.278 — — 0.224 0.149 0.134
w/NaBr 0.604 0.536 0.373 0.356 0.266 0.238
3.3 IMAGE NON-LINEARITY
Image non-linearities are introduced by many of the detector components, including the XDL anode, the readout electronics, MCPs, and by the anode drift region of the detector assembly. Of principal concern to CHIPS is image non-linearity on the scale of spectral features, 400 μm or less. This differential non-linearity (DNL) is known to originate from both the anode fabrication tolerances and from time-to-digital converter errors, both of which produce DNL along the readout axis. To minimize the impact of this DNL on the final extracted spectra, the detector was designed with a 15° anode rotation relative to the spectral axis. When the image is histogrammed to form a spectrum, the DNL is effectively smoothed away. The CHIPS flight anode has a typical RMS DNL along the readout axis of ~5%. After anode rotation the histogram is dominated by Poisson noise and the modulation reduces to less than 0.5%. In the figure below, an orbital background image shows the principal DNL features, and the improvement achieved by anode rotation.
Figure 12: Comparison of raw and rotated flat field histograms
Image non-linearities of scales greater than 1mm are easily characterized by pinhole maps. Below, the pinhole image data is compared to an ideal 1mm square grid. The result shows the magnitude and direction of the image non-linearities. This data is the basis for the ground based image distortion correction.
Figure 13: Line segments lead from fixed 1mm grid points to associated pinhole centroid positions.
3.4 IMAGE RESOLUTION
Resolution testing is performed after the scrub to minimize pinhole pattern burning, and prior to photocathode deposition. A mask with 10mm diameter holes in a 1mm square pattern is placed in contact with the front face of the MCPs and illuminated with UV. Each pinhole is extracted from the resulting image, fitted with a Gaussian in both dimensions, and the FWHM calculated. Resolution images are collected over a range of gain, threshold, and TDC parameters to determine the optimum settings. Histograms of the resolution results for the flight settings are
graphed in Figure 14. The average resolution is less than half the width of the narrowest spectral feature of 250μm.
Figure 14: CHIPS detector X and Y resolution histograms
4.0 CONCLUSION
Though the technology for this detector system is well established, there are several notable innovations. For delayline readout systems, the simple and robust timing discriminator has demonstrated its value for intermediate resolution designs11. The printed circuit stop delay board offers a low mass, low-volume alternative to wound coax delays. The zirconium thin-film filter developed for CHIPS provided substantial improvement in air-glow rejection over readily available alternatives.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors thank Andy Aquila and Eric Gullikson of the Advanced Light Source for invaluable filter transmission measurements. CHIPS is supported by NASA grant NAG5–5213.
REFERENCES
1. M. Hurwitz et al. “Status of the Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer (CHIPS) University-Class Explorer” Proc. SPIE 4854, 319–328, 2002
2. E. R. Taylor, M. Hurwitz, M. Sholl, S. Dawson, J. Janicik. J. Wolff “CHIPS: A NASA University Explorer Astronomy Mission” AIAA/USU SmallSat 2003
3. M. Sholl, W. Donakowski, M. Sirk, T. Clauss, M. Lampton, J. Edelstein, M. Hurwitz “Optomechanical design of the cosmic hot interstellar plasma spectrometer (CHIPS)” Proc. SPIE 4854, 467–478, 2003
4. O. H. W. Siegmund, P. Jelinsky, S. Jelinsky, J. Stock, J. Hull, D. Doliber, J. Zaninovich, A. S. Tremsin, K. Kromer, “High-resolution cross delay line detectors for the GALEX mission” Proc. SPIE 3765, 429–440, 1999
5. M. Marckwordt “Development of a spring ring for microchannel plate stack fastening in the cosmic hot interstellar plasma spectrometer detector” Rev. Sci. Inst. 74, 212–217, 2003
6. M. Marckwordt “Cosmic hot interstellar plasma spectrometer external stop delay board: An alternative to bulky and massive coax for long (>100ns) time delays” Rev. Sci. Inst. 72, 3674–3681
7. R. Hemphill, M.G. Pelizzo, M. Hurwitz “Extreme Ultraviolet Calibration of thin-film Zr filters for the Cosmic Hot Interstellar Plasma Spectrometer” Appl. Opt. 28, 4680–4685, 2002
8. A. S. Tremsin, O. H. W. Siegmund, M. A. Gummin, P. N. Jelinsky, J. M. Stock “Electronic and optical moire interference with microchannel plates” Appl. Opt. 38, 2240–2248, 1999
9. O.H.W. Siegmund, et. al “High Resolution Monolithic Delay Line Readout Techniques for Two Dimensional Microchannel Plate Detectors” Proc. SPIE 2006, 176–187 1993
10. D. Marsh, O. H. W. Siegmund, J. M. Stock “Progress on high-efficiency photocathodes for soft x-ray, EUV, and FUV photon detection” Proc. SPIE 2006 51–58, 1993
11. M. Lampton “A timing discriminator for space flight applications” Rev. Sci. Inst. 69, 3062–3065 View publication stats.
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