Doctorant : CUCCHETTI Edoardo
Directeur : POINTECOUTEAU Etienne
Date début : Octobre 2016
Groupe thématique : GAHEC
Context:
In the frame of the Cosmic Vision program, the European Space Agency (ESA) has selected the Advanced Telescope for High Energy Astrophysics (Athena), a large X-ray observatory, as its second large mission, scheduled for launch in 2028. It will carry two instruments, the Wide Field Imager (WFI) and the X-Ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU). With its new technology of Silicon pore optics, a 2m2 effective area at 1keV, its focal length of 12m, Athena will answer major interrogations ofThe Hot and Energetic Universesuch as:
– How does ordinary matter assemble hierarchically to create the large scale structures observed today?
– How do black holes grow and shape their surrounding Universe?
Athena is currently in phase A and will move to phase B in 2017.
Framework:
Of the two instruments, X-IFU is the most innovative. It is an X-ray cryogenic spectrometer with both spectral and spatial imaging capacities. X-IFU uses Transition Edge Sensors (TES) microcalorimeters detectors, cooled below 100mK. They offer a spatial resolution of 5 arcseconds on a field-of-view of ~19 arcminutes and most of all a transformational spectral resolution of 2.5eV at 7keV.
France is the main contributor of the instrument, with CNES being responsible of the instrument and IRAP in charge of the scientific aspects (PI, Instrument scientist, Science Team). My Ph.D. is developed within this framework and my research work is constructed around several axes:
– Taking part to technical trade-offs with CNES’ instrument team. The aim is to optimize and increase the ultimate performance of the instrument.
– Modelling of the Digital readout chain for the TES and its integration in the instrument’s end-to-end simulator SIXTE
– Development and use of a readout cryogenic test bench at IRAP/CNES.
– Calibration (plan, tests) and scientific performance of the instrument
– Science studies and simulation of large scale structures to test the scientific performance of the instrument
For more information on the Athena and X-IFU:
Twitter: @AthenaXIFU