Intensified Charge Coupled Devices For Ultra Low Light Level Imaging

Stanley Sobieski

doi:10.1117/12.954783

27 July 1976 Intensified Charge Coupled Devices For Ultra Low Light Level Imaging

Stanley Sobieski

Proceedings Volume 0078, Low Light Level Devices for Science and Technolgy; (1976) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.954783
Event: 1976 SPIE/SPSE Technical Symposium East, 1976, Reston, United States

Abstract

The development of high performance solid-state sensors is important for future astronomical space flight missions. Although sensitivity in the ultraviolet is obviously advantageous, the potential for superb imaging afforded by space telescopes recommends a sensor design covering a broad spectral range including the visible and near infrared. Additionally, the sensor must be rugged, reliable, and relatively insensitive to corpuscular radiation. With these considerations in mind, the Laboratory for Optical Astronomy has begun the development of a sensor incorporating a CCD and photocathode for operation in the electron bombarded mode in both a magnetic and an electrostatic focussed, gated configuration. Sufficient gain will be available to provide adequate signal-to-noise for the detection of individual photoelectron events. Initial format size is 100 x 160 pixels with eventual growth to 400 x 400 pixels. The sensor is part of a digital camera system which includes the low level video condit-ioning electronics, a camera controller, a high speed buffer memory, and digital recording and display electronics. The memory uses CMOS/SOS and has a capacity of 1.6 Mbits with operating rates of 48 Mbits/sec. Individual frames are co-added to provide wide dynamic range and photometric precision better than 1%. A 4-bit video quantization is used to increase the photon counting detection rate before coincidence losses become serious.

Citation Download Citation

Stanley Sobieski "Intensified Charge Coupled Devices For Ultra Low Light Level Imaging", Proc. SPIE 0078, Low Light Level Devices for Science and Technolgy, (27 July 1976); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.954783

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