Design and Development of Readout Electronics for Thermopile Array Detector Using FPGA

Thermopile detector arrays, integral to infrared sensors, find widespread application in temperature measurement and thermal imaging. This paper introduces a novel approach by designing dedicated readout electronics for thermopile detectors, aiming at their characterization for space applications, specifically in a safe mode earth sensor. The proposed system employs a reprogrammable Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) for implementing the readout electronics, encompassing tasks such as extracting raw pixel data from the detector and configuring the sensor for different parameter settings. The safe mode earth sensor, crucial for spacecraft attitude determination, provides 2-axes attitude referencing Earth in the pitch and roll axes. Leveraging thermopile-based earth sensors, the system detects Earth edges in the IR band, facilitating the calculation of roll and pitch angles. The compact design makes it particularly suitable for deployment in Micro-Satellites and other satellites as a safe mode sensor. The readout electronics and data acquisition system play a pivotal role in evaluating, characterizing, and screening thermopile detectors, ensuring their suitability for deployment in safe mode earth sensor applications. This integrated approach not only enhances the efficiency of thermopile detectors but also opens avenues for their broader application in space-based sensing systems.