An Analysis of Large Astronomical Detector Controller Systems and Implications for Future ESO Detector Systems

TL;DR

This paper analyzes current large astronomical detector control systems, identifies key enabling technologies, and proposes a comprehensive concept for future ESO instruments to improve scalability, efficiency, and sustainability.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of existing systems and introduces a new integrated control concept leveraging cryogenic electronics, Ethernet interfaces, and digital detectors for future large-scale instruments.

Findings

Key technologies include cryogenic electronics, Ethernet interfaces, and digital detectors.

Existing systems face challenges in scalability, power, size, and cost.

Proposed concept aims to enhance control efficiency and sustainability for future ESO instruments.

Abstract

Large astronomical instruments using tens to hundreds of optical or infrared science detectors pose specific challenges for detector control, where, in addition to performance, other engineering aspects like scalability, power consumption, size, weight and programmatic aspects such as cost and sustainability need to be considered. In this paper we analyze the approach existing instruments have taken for detector control. We focus this analysis on recent ground based astronomical instruments using 10 or more detectors for science imaging or spectrography. From this analysis we identify key technologies, like cryogenic electronics, Ethernet based interfaces and fully-digital detectors, for implementing efficient control of many detectors. We also propose a concept joining all identified technologies that could be considered for future large ESO instruments as a complement of ESO's general detector controller, NGCII.