| A new photon counting detector, MIC, has been developed at UCL and is an enhanced performance version of the highly successful IPCS in use at a number of large ground based optical telescopes throughout the world. This detector is light weight, compact and has a low power consumption making it suitable for Space as well as ground based applications. In particular, a prototype version of the MIC detector, XMM-MIC, has been developed for the Optical Monitor (OM) that is to be included in the ESA 'Horizon 2000' X-Ray Multi-Mirror Mission (XMM). In this thesis details of the detector system are given along with the theory of operation. A description of those components which limit the detector performance in terms of resolution, image quality, dynamic range and detective quantum efficiency is presented. The performance is characterized both under laboratory and telescope conditions and compared against theoretical data. In addition, computer simulations have been used to compare the detector performance with other types of photon counting detector thus defining the scientific applications to which MIC can most usefully be put. Finally, future developments of the MIC detector are discussed in terms of both Space and ground based applications. Within the context of this thesis the author has been responsible for the theoretical modelling of a number of detector characteristics, analysis of data and its comparison with theoretical predictions. Computer models were also developed by the author in order to simulate the dynamic range performance of other types of photon counting detector. In addition the author has contributed towards the software development of the detector system and participated fully in all the observing and laboratory trials. |
