# Near UV Imager with an MCP Based Photon Counting Detector

## TL;DR

This paper presents a compact, lightweight UV imager with a photon counting detector designed for CubeSats and balloons, capable of high-resolution imaging and transient detection in the near UV spectrum.

## Contribution

Development of a portable, aberration-free UV imager with an MCP-based photon counting detector suitable for small satellite and balloon platforms.

## Key findings

- Successfully designed a compact UV imager with wide field of view
- Implemented real-time photon event centroiding using FPGA
- Demonstrated potential for observing solar system objects and atmospheric transients

## Abstract

We are developing a compact UV Imager using light weight components, that can be flown on a small CubeSat or a balloon platform. The system has a lens-based optics that can provide an aberration-free image over a wide field of view. The backend instrument is a photon counting detector with off-the-shelf MCP, CMOS sensor and electronics. We are using a Z-stack MCP with a compact high voltage power supply and a phosphor screen anode, which is read out by a CMOS sensor and the associated electronics. The instrument can be used to observe solar system objects and detect bright transients from the upper atmosphere with the help of CubeSats or high altitude balloons. We have designed the imager to be capable of working in direct frame transfer mode as well in the photon-counting mode for single photon event detection. The identification and centroiding of each photon event are done using an FPGA-based data acquisition and real-time processing system.