Secrets of E2V Technologies CCDs (ex Marconi CCDs)

To complement previously published information on E2V CCDs, we present here some less well-known information about Marconi CCDs. We show details of the performance of deep depletion silicon variants, and discuss other subtleties of performance. We also present an update on L3vision (sub-electron noise) devices, indicating current availability, options, and ongoing development work. Finally, we will give a flavour of the range of custom designs that have been made. Many of these are not commercially available, and may not be familiar to all astronomers or CCD technologists. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Photon counting strategies with low-light-level CCDs

Low light level charge-coupled devices (L3CCDs) have recently been developed, incorporating on-chip gain. They may be operated to give an effective readout noise of much less than one electron by implementing an on-chip gain process allowing the detection of individual photons. However, the gain mechanism is stochastic and so introduces significant extra noise into the system. In this paper we examine how best to process the output signal from an L3CCD so as to minimize the contribution of stochastic noise, while still maintaining photometric accuracy.
We achieve this by optimizing a transfer function that translates the digitized output signal levels from the L3CCD into a value approximating the photon input as closely as possible by applying thresholding techniques. We identify several thresholding strategies and quantify their impact on the photon counting accuracy and the effective signal-to-noise ratio.
We find that it is possible to eliminate the noise introduced by the gain process at the lowest light levels. Reduced improvements are achieved as the light level increases up to about 20 photon pixel⁻¹ and above this there is negligible improvement. Operating L3CCDs at very high speeds will keep the photon flux low, giving the best improvements in signal-to-noise ratio.     

Calibration of flight model CCDs for CoRoT mission

CoRoT (Convection, Rotation and Transit) is a mission of high-accuracy photometry with two scientific programmes: asteroseismology and planet finding, using CCDs as detectors. Ten 2048×4096 CCDs manufactured by E2V (42-80) were calibrated on Meudon test bench in order to choose the best ones for flight. A very high instrument stability is needed. Taking into account the environmental perturbations (temperature, attitude control system jitter, radiations, etc.) we studied sensitivity of CCD gain and quantum efficiency to temperature and sensitivity of the output signal to bias voltages. Special attention was paid to pixel capacity and noise sources coming from dark current and pixel response non-uniformity. The calibration results together with the expected voltages and temperature fluctuations are compared with the specifications.     

Charge coupled devices (CCDs) in X-ray astronomy

The application of CCDs to X-ray imaging and spectroscopy for astronomy is described. The requirements which differ markedly from those of traditional optical applications are highlighted. Results of recent research programs to optimize CCD X-ray response are presented. It is shown that very high quantum efficiencies and Fano noise limited energy resolutions can be obtained. A number of issues related to the practical implementation of future instruments are reviewed.     

Simulations and Mitigation of Pile-Up in XMM CCD Instruments

Simulations of the XMM EPIC instruments are presented. They suggest the correct operating mode must be chosen to ensure that spectral analysis of the data is not compromised by pile-up effects. The performanceis contrasted with the CHANDRA AXAF CCD Imaging Spectrometer, showing how the higher effective area but better over-sampling of its mirror response function in XMM, impacts this pile-up criteria. Targetsexceeding a flux of a few 10^-12 ergs cm^-2 s^-1 will becompromised for spectral analysis in these CCD instruments, unlesscare is taken in defining correct instrument configurations. Somesimple methods of mitigating the effects are described, but this featureof X-ray pile-up warrants careful attention in calibration.     

RTS2中新CCD类型扩展方法

CCD是天文望远镜中最常见的观测终端设备,也是望远镜自主控制系统中的重要组成部分。随着天文望远镜自主观测需求的不断出现以及技术的快速发展,开源的RTS2软件系统成为目前该领域研究中受到较多关注的系统之一。但RTS2支持的CCD设备较为有限,同时控制接口约定也相对固定。在针对部分特殊的CCD设备(如LAMOST中采用的32台CCD设备、选址用的部分CCD设备)时,仅实现原有类的方法是不够的。在深入分析RTS2源码的基础上,重点从参数、命令、协议扩展方面研究基于原有的Camera类,通过继承的方法构造新的CCD类型,实现对LAMOST项目的 CCD控制,取得了较好的效果,对在RTS2中集成望远镜系统其他类型设备也有较好的参考价值。     

The effect of the prompt particle environment at L2 on optical CCDs for astronomy and astrophysics

The increasing number of probes carrying large focal planes consisting of many charge-coupled devices (CCDs), planned to be sent to the L2 Lagrangian point, 1.5 million kilometres from Earth in the next 15 years, implies that a detailed study of the effects of the prompt particle environment at L2 on CCDs is required. The focus of this study will be on CCDs for optical astronomy, astrometry and photometric applications. This study will be of particular interest to GAIA the European Space Agency's (ESA) cornerstone optical astronomy mission to further explore and map sections of our galaxy in greater detail. The results will also have implications for future X-ray astronomy missions like the X-ray Evolving Universe Spectroscopy Mission (XEUS). Both the above missions will require large area focal planes incorporating many CCD detectors.The sources of the instrument background are both solar and galactic and if a probe is launched around the peak in the next solar cycle (2010), the possible false detection rate or the amount of data that could be lost during a mission must be determined. This paper presents measured data for a spacecraft in a geostationary orbit, specifically Geosynchronous Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) data, and makes predictions of the flux and energy of the particle environment at L2. The solar and galactic cosmic ray background was determined by using the Cosmic Ray Effects on Micro-Electronics or CREME96 code. A comparison was then made between the GOES data and the output from the CREME96 code in order to make predictions about the L2 environment.     

CCD的近红外敏化技术

理论上硅ＣＣＤ在０ ．１ｎｍ 到１．１μｍ 之间都有响应, 但通常此种器件在８００ｎｍ 以后量子效率下降明显, 一般会小于５０ ％ 。其中最主要的原因是近红外光子的吸收深度大于ＣＣＤ 的外延层厚度, 使大量光子穿透整个器件。显然增加外延层的厚度是解决这一问题的良好途径。但随着外延层的增加, 必须使用高阻抗的材料, 否则会明显的减低分辨率。另外增透膜的使用也会使量子效率大幅度提高, 而且有效的减弱了干涉条纹的影响。新型Ｐ沟道Ｎ 衬底全耗尽高阻ＣＣＤ的出现, 使得量子效率在１μｍ 仍然接近６０％ 。     

On Cross-talk Correction of Images from Multiple-port CCDs

Multi-channel CCD read-out, which is an option offered at most optical observatories, can significantly reduce the time spent on reading the detector. The penalty of using this option is the so-called amplifier cross-talk, which causes contamination across the output amplifiers, typically at the level of 1:10 000.This can be a serious problem for applications where high precision and/or high contrast is of importance. We represent an analysis of amplifier cross-talk for two instruments – FORS1 at the ESO VLT telescope Antu (Paranal) and DFOSC at the Danish 1.54 m telescope (La Silla) – and present a post-processing method for removing the imprint of cross-talk. It is found that cross-talk may significantly contaminate high-precision photometry in crowded fields, but it can be effectively eliminated during data reduction. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Measurements of charge diffusion in deep-depletion CCDs by optical diffraction

The charge diffusion is measured in back illuminated, fully depleted, 250 μm thick CCDs by imaging the diffraction pattern of a double slit. The CCDs studied are the focal plane detectors for the dark energy camera (DECam) instrument currently under construction for the dark energy survey (DES). The results presented here indicate that the dispersion of charge due to diffusion can be kept below the DES specification ( σ _d ?<?7.0 μm ).     

关于地平式反射望远镜的CCD平场(英文)

现有标准设计的反光望远镜在拍摄CCD平场时,绝大多数都受残留散射光的影响.但是赤道式与地平式反光镜所受影响是不同的.在赤道式上做时间序列较差测光时,只要待测星永远位于CCD的固定像元上,不太准确的CCD平场也能得到高精度的测光结果.当需要0.1%～0.3%精度的平场时,则可以采用夜天平场.地平式的特点是,它的CCD相机必须置于旋转器上,在跟踪天体时不停地旋转,以抵消地球自转的影响.上述用于赤道式的方法失效,因此,在CCD平场时,消除散射光的影响比赤道式更为重要.一个典型的地平式反光镜的例子是NAOC兴隆天文台的EOS 1米镜.虽然该台已附加了防散射光的装置,但是对所有B、V、R、I滤光片,在不同旋转器位置拍摄的CCD平场,仍然有2%～3%的差别(主要是梯度).该文给出了改进的建议,必须满足下面两个条件:Cij=C(r);旋转器的中心与反光镜的光学中心重合.此问题的解决对所有地平式反光望远镜都有普遍意义.     

A realistic model for point-sources imaged on array detectors: The model and initial results

We have constructed a computer model for simulation of point-sources imaged on two-dimensional detectors. An attempt has been made to ensure that the model produces data that mimic real data taken with 2-D detectors. To be realistic, such simulations must include randomly generated noise of the appropriate type from all sources (e.g. source, background, and detector). The model is generic and accepts input values for parameters such as pixel size, read noise, source magnitude, and sky brightness. Point-source profiles are then generated with noise and detector characteristics added via our model. The synthetic data are output as simple integrations (onedimensional), as radial slices (two-dimensional), and as intensity-contour plots (three-dimensional). Each noise source can be turned on or off so that they can be studied separately as well as in combination to yield a realistic view of an image. This paper presents the basic properties of the model and some examples of how it can be used to simulate the effects of changing image position, image scale, signal strength, noise characteristics, and data reduction procedures.Use of the model has allowed us to confirm and quantify three points: 1) The use of traditionalsize apertures for photometry of faint point-sources adds substantial noise to the measurement which can significantly degrade the quality of the observation; 2) The number of pixels used to estimate the background is important and must be considered when estimating errors; and 3) The CCD equation normally used by the astronomical community consistently overestimates the signal-to-noise obtainable by a measurement while a revised equation, discussed here, provides a better estimator.     

Radiation shielding study for the joint European X-ray Telescope focal plane Detectors

The requirements, philosophy and implementation of inorbit radiation shielding for the Charge Coupled Devices (CCDs) on-board the Joint European X-ray Telescope (JET-X) are described in detail. Relevant trade-offs between displacement damage, spectral degradation, instrument mass and mission lifetime are examined and a maximum permissible fluence at the CCDs derived. The calculations show that for the ambient JET-X radiation environment no benefit is obtained by increasing the shield thickness above 30 mm of aluminum due to the local production of cascade nucleons. However, a large flare of the August 1972 type will exceed the required maximum fluence by a factor of 2. In order to survive such a flare, a thicker shield is required. Because of mass constraints, JET-X will fly a composite shield composed of 20 mm of aluminum on the outside and 5 mm of tungsten on the inside. Such a shield is designed to ensure that the degradation in the CCD FWHM energy resolution is no more than 40% around the Fe line over the nominal two year mission lifetime (a factor of 2 x the intrinsic line broadening). The predicted degradation in energy resolution and the efficacy of the shield design has been recently verified by experiment (Owens et al., Nucl. Instr. and Meth., A361 (1995) 602).     

Fabrication of Thinned CCDs at UCO/Lick Observatory

The University of California Observatories/Lick Observatory (UCO/Lick) has undertaken to produce science-grade CCDs for current and future instruments to be used on UCO/Lick and UCO/Keck telescopes. In this paper we describe the techniques developed and the progress achieved to date.     

In-flight Performance of the Advanced Camera for Surveys CCDs

The Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), installed in the Hubble Space telescope in March 2002, will significantly extend HST's deep, survey imaging capabilities. ACS has met, or exceeded, all of its key performance specifications. In this paper we briefly review the in-flight performance of the instrument's CCD detectors and preview early ACS science observations. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Optimizing CCDs for spectrographs

For a spectrograph giving a fixed format spectrum,the quantum efficiency (QE) can be optimized for the different wavelengthsacross the CCD. It is shown that a slight modification of the conventionalsingle layer anti-reflection coating can give major improvements in QE forsuch instruments, while at the same time minimizing problems with fringingand stray light from the CCD.     

Infrared Imaging Solar Spectrograph At Purple Mountain Observatory

Since 1986, we have made some improvements to the multichannel solar spectrograph at Purple Mountain Observatory (PMO) step by step, and now we have developed and added to it a multichannel infrared imaging solar spectrograph. The original spectrograph can be used to observe simultaneously solar activity at 9 wave bands including Caii H and K line, Mgi b line, Hei D3 line and H through H. The newly developed infrared imaging spectrograph can work in three wavelengths, i.e., Hei 10830 Å, Caii 8542 Å, and H. We replaced plates in the original system with CCDs and placed an image reducer before each CCD in order to match the CCD pixel size. The dispersions for Hei 10830 Å, Caii 8542 Å, and H of the new imaging solar spectrograph are 0.0693 Å, 0.0767 Å, and 0.0754 Å per CCD pixel respectively, and each vertical CCD pixel represents 0.34 arc sec of solar disk. We can obtain the line-center and off-band intensities of the three lines and the intensities of continua adjacent to these lines through the new instrument. We can also acquire velocity maps and line profiles. Therefore, it is specially suitable for two-dimensional (2D) spectroscopic observations of solar flares and active regions. We carry out scanning observation by rotating the second mirror of the coelostat system. In this paper, we introduce the improvements we made and the new imaging solar spectrograph. Some observation results are also presented in this article.     

基于科学CCD的低纬子午环的数据采集系统

本文主要介绍基于科学CCD的低纬子午环数据采集系统的硬件构成及软件设计。为了能绝对而又精确地确定天体的位置 ,低纬子午环需要配备多种精密的测量装置 ,如 :GPS与时钟、 9路Reticon线阵、视频CCD、科学CCD、圆感应同步器、光栅线性位移传感器等。为了能有序地控制并采集这些装置的数据 ,我们设计了一个包含 3个PC机的数据采集与控制系统。文中将描述测量装置的功能 ,然后介绍数据采集方法及软件设计     

ESO's new CCD Testbench

During the forthcoming years, ESO will implement a large number of CCDs in optical instruments for the Paranal and La Silla observatories. An important step in this process is the CCD characterization and optimization that is done after the device is received from the manufacturer. In order to accommodate the new large CCDs and to interface to the new FIERA controller, ESO is building a new CCD testing facility in Garching. Among the measurements that will be made with this new facility are: quantum efficiency, conversion factor, charge transfer efficiency, dark current, read out noise and cosmetic quality.     

Achieving sub electron noise in CCD systems by means of digital filtering techniques that lower 1/f pixel correlated noise

Scientific CCDs designed in thick high resistivity silicon (Si) are excellent detectors for astronomy, high energy and nuclear physics, and instrumentation. Many applications can benefit from CCDs ultra low noise readout systems. The present work shows how sub electron noise CCD images can be achieved using digital signal processing techniques. These techniques allow 0.4 electrons of noise at readout bandwidths of up to 10?Kpixels per second while keeping the full CCD spatial resolution and signal dynamic range.