Comparison of Photoconductive-Bolometer Detectors on an Airborne System

A Ge:Ga photoconductive detector at l00μm and a GaAs epitaxial photoconductive detector at 285μm has been optimized for sensitivity comparison with a conventional bolometer system of Yerkes Observatory. The response of the photoconductive detectors were studied in the laboratory under two background conditions: baffles and Fabry Optics. A direct comparison of the photoconductive detectors to the bolometer will be made on the 91.5 cm telescope aboard the NASA C-141 Airborne Infrared Observatory.