Modulation transfer function of active pixel focal plane arrays

Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) is an important figure of merit in focal plane array sensors, especially for accurate target positions such as star trackers. In-situ evaluation by MTF in different stages of imager system developments is necessary for an ideal design of different sensors and their signal processing. Understanding the tradeoff between different figures of merit will enable designers to achieve the most efficient design in specific missions. Advanced active pixel test sensors have been designed and fabricated where different pixel shapes were placed. Research on analyzing the MTF for the proper pixel shape is currently in progress for a centroidal configuration of a star. Explicit formulas for the modulation transfer function have been studied for the rectangular shaped pixel array. MTF will give us a more complete understanding of the tradeoffs opposed by the different pixel designs and by the signal processing conditions. In this paper, preliminary results of two different active pixel sensor (APS) focal plane arrays are presented in terms of crosstalk using a laser. MTF measurements of the APS arrays are achieved by applying only a single image. A rising or falling edge rather than the conventional bar target of slit scanning is needed to perform the measurement in each direction for the evaluation of the design efficiency.