UTSA-SwRI Space Physics
Graduate Program

Research

Graphene

2023-05-25T20:14:08+00:00

Graphene Carbon foils are used in space plasma instruments to detect ions, neutral atoms, or electrons (Allegrini et al. 2016, Journal of Geophysical Research). They are extremely thin (of the order of a hundred atomic layers) and supported by fine grids over areas as large as tens of square centimeters. While they enable detection and characterization of the plasma particles, they also degrade measurements (e.g., time-of-flight to determine the speed of the particles) due to effects such as angular scattering and energy straggling. These unwanted effects usually scale with foil thickness and that is why we try to use the [...]

Graphene2023-05-25T20:14:08+00:00

Ultraviolet Radiometric Calibration Chamber

2023-05-25T20:16:02+00:00

General Description High vacuum chamber for UV detectors and instruments Combined with a class 10000 clean tent the UV calibration lab can support prototype development and flight instrument testing/calibration Lab Capabilities Able to pump down past 10-6 Torr 4 degree of freedom chamber positioning system Hollow cathode UV source Accepts multiple source gasses (Ar, Ne, CO2, H, He) Monochromater selects zero or first order UV flux from 30 to 550 nm

Ultraviolet Radiometric Calibration Chamber2023-05-25T20:16:02+00:00

Time-of-Flight Instrumentation Lab

2023-05-25T20:16:07+00:00

General Description Lab space dedicated for testing ion optics and the breadboarding and development of prototype Multi-Bounce Time-Of-Flight (MBTOF) mass spectrometers Houses the Time-of-Flight Development Chamber Lab Capabilities Flow hood and ESD workbenches Time-of-Flight Development Chamber: Bakeable to 120° C Can pump down to ~10-8 Torr Multiple viewports

Time-of-Flight Instrumentation Lab2023-05-25T20:16:07+00:00

SwRI Ultraviolet Reflectance Chamber (SWURC)

2023-05-25T20:16:13+00:00

General Description The SwRI Ultraviolet Reflectance Chamber (SWURC) is a state of the art UV reflectometer chamber and data acquisition system that can measure the bidirectional reflectance from 115 to 180 nm over various reflectance angles. UV reflectance spectroscopy is a valuable tool for studying airless planetary surfaces. However, the lack of laboratory measurements of materials at far-UV wavelengths has limited the interpretation of remote sensing UV data from the Moon, asteroids, comets, etc. The SwURC provides laboratory-based vacuum UV reflectance measurements of water frost/ice, lunar soils, simulants, and analogs to support interpretation of UV mapping data from current UV [...]

SwRI Ultraviolet Reflectance Chamber (SWURC)2023-05-25T20:16:13+00:00

Space Enviroment Simulation Lab

2023-05-25T20:16:18+00:00

General Description 1680 ft2 general purpose humidity laboratory housing several small projects Lab Capabilities Space Ice (SPICE) Chamber (upper left): Studies ice surfaces during substrate exposure to ions, gasses, and volatiles Small chamber for fast pumpdown (~10-7 Torr), temperature control to cryogenic levels, simple positioning system, Bruker Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) spectrometer Polar Regolith Environment Molecular Impact Simulation Experiment (PREMISE) (upper right): Simulates volatile and gas trapping in regolith and cometary impacts Manual rotary feedthrough, Kimbal Physics sample chamber (upper right inset), temperature control (-100° - 120° C), UV quartz viewport Cave Mass Spectrometer (CMS) (lower left): Portable mass spectrometer for the [...]

Space Enviroment Simulation Lab2023-05-25T20:16:18+00:00

Separation Science Instrument Development Lab

2023-05-25T20:16:23+00:00

General Description For developing instruments related to deep space and outer planet organic analysis Development of inlet systems, analytical columns, separation techniques, and mass spectrometers Houses the Multi-Dimensional Chromatography Instrument (GC×GC) (left) and the Resistively-Heated Thermal Modulator Development Instrument (right) Lab Capabilities GCxGC Instrument: Agilent 7890 Gas Chromatograph Secondary oven inside, external cryo-cooler Flame Ionization Detector (FID) to detect organics and a Quad-Jet Dual Stage Thermal Modulator for high resolution Resistively-Heated Thermal Modulator Development Instrument: Agilent 6890 Gas Chromatograph Two Stage Resistively Heated and Liquid Cooled Thermal Modulator Flame Ionization Detector (FID)

Separation Science Instrument Development Lab2023-05-25T20:16:23+00:00

Planetary Atmosphere Simulation Lab

2023-05-25T20:16:30+00:00

General Description Contains equipment and facilities for the purpose of simulating conditions unique to planetary atmospheres throughout the solar system Lab Capabilities Planetary Atmosphere Simulator (left image) can mix up to five gasses at a particular temperature, pressure, and flow rate Trochoidal-focusing Mass Spectrometer (bottom right) Agilent 7890A Gas Chromatograph (top right) one of two gas chromatographs High pressure oven capable of 100 Atm pressure and 500° C to simulate the surface of Venus Continuous flow fume hood operation monitored and protected by alarm

Planetary Atmosphere Simulation Lab2023-05-25T20:16:30+00:00

Optics and Detector Lab

2023-05-24T19:17:11+00:00

General Description General purpose optical & optical detector research, test, and development lab Configured to accommodate a variety of optical test setups & detector development systems, including flight instruments Lab Capabilities Southwest Ultraviolet Reflectivity Chamber (SwURC): Illuminates various materials with UV light and measures the percent reflectivity Equipped with a Laminar Flow Bench, Dust Hood, Wet Bench, Optical Table, and ESD Workbenches Able to support cryogenic detector testing and operations Whole lab humidifier and HEPA air filtration

Optics and Detector Lab2023-05-24T19:17:11+00:00

Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) Lab

2023-05-25T20:16:38+00:00

General Description Facility used in the testing and assembly of micro- and nano-structures Used to understand how MEMS devices operate differently in a vacuum environment Lab also houses the equipment to mount ultra thin carbon foils (~10's of Å… thick) Lab Capabilities 4 high precision microprobes Ion pump to limit vibrations (no moving parts) Monitored with a long focal length microscope

Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) Lab2023-05-25T20:16:38+00:00

Instrument Development and Calibration Lab – Ions

2023-05-25T20:16:53+00:00

General Description Vacuum chamber for the development and calibration of prototypes and flight ion sensors Secondary "science" chamber with a rapid pump down time for quick changes Lab Capabilities Ion beam can be shaped (size and location) and rastered with energies of 1 - 50 keV Mixed gas source along with an ExB filter allows for the selection of mass per charge 4 degree of freedom positioning system Quantar microchannel plate imager to characterize the shape an location of the beam Pressure can go below 10-6 Torr, chamber door opens to a class 10000 cleanroom RGA, Webcams, pressure, temperature sensors: all [...]

Instrument Development and Calibration Lab – Ions2023-05-25T20:16:53+00:00
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