The purpose of this document is to outline the verification test plan for the signal-to noise ratio (SNR) of the FINCH Eye Payload’s Build I model. It serves as a proxy for Payload Thermal Vacuum Chamber Testing (TVAC testing), specifically, the SNR-related tests: spectral response for the signal component of SNR, and dark noise test for the noise component. The SNR can then be calculated using this equation. Although this test plan is specifically for Build I, the equipment from this test plan can be used to perform similar SNR tests for later builds of the optical system as well, fine-tuning the testing procedures to prepare for TVAC testing.
The SNR determines how “usable” a signal is after it passes through an optical device, defined by this equation, which uses signal and noise derivations. This test plan is based on the tests to be performed in TVAC testing, camera test protocol from Teledyne Photometrics, and the user data sheet for our sensor, Tau SWIR User Guide. The SNR requirement of the payload is at least 30.
Using the signal equation: $s_{\text{target}} = s_{\text{constants}} \cdot s_{\text{sensor}} \cdot s_{\text{optic}} \cdot s_{\text{light}}$