Interferential scanning grating position sensor operating in space at 4 K

An interferential position sensor for operation in space at a deep cryogenic temperature (4 K) is derived from a commercial sensor. The application is for the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver submillimetric imaging Fourier-transform spectrometer on the Herschel space telescope. This sensor is used to control the displacement of the interferometer’s moving mirrors and to sample the interferograms. This development addresses the following points: minimization of the effects of cooling critical optical parts, introduction of a fully redundant focal plane, selection of optoelectronic components efficient at 4 K, and design of a cryogenic preamplifier.