The CFHT CCD Detector

G. A.H. Walker; R. Johnson; Carol A. Christian; Patrick Waddell; J. Kormendy

doi:10.1117/12.944681

8 November 1984 The CFHT CCD Detector

G. A.H. Walker, R. Johnson, Carol A. Christian, Patrick Waddell, J. Kormendy

Proceedings Volume 0501, State-of-the-Art Imaging Arrays and Their Applications; (1984) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.944681
Event: 28th Annual Technical Symposium, 1984, San Diego, United States

Abstract

The CCD is a thinned, rear-illuminated, RCA device with 320 rows and 512 columns of which about 316 x498 are photometrically useable. The array is over-clocked by the equivalent of 20 extra rows to provide a d.c. bias reference. The array has exceptionally high spectral band width and responsive quantum efficiency and operates in an evacuated cold housing in an analog integration mode at -125°C. On-chip amplifier 'glow' has been limited by reducing drain voltages during integration. The average system read-out noise/sensing element (pixel) is 71 electrons rms. The system response is linear from about 300 electrons to the full-well potential of 6 x105 electrons. There is a significant roll-off in charge transfer efficiency at low signal levels which is probably due to non-overlapping of the gate-electrode structure. (Not a problem with more recent versions of this device). The transfer efficiency was optimized by increasing the overlap and the amplitude of the clock transitions. About 30 pixels have low sensitivity and one third act as 'traps' by attenuating subsequent charge transfers from their column. A few pixels 'glow' causing signal saturation around them. The CCD can be calibrated with a pixel to pixel reliability over the whole array of 2% using illumination of the dome interior as a flat field and to <1% using dark fields in the night sky. Optical fringing from night sky lines is not important in B and V, and can probably be calibrated at longer wavelengths.

Citation Download Citation

G. A.H. Walker, R. Johnson, Carol A. Christian, Patrick Waddell, and J. Kormendy "The CFHT CCD Detector", Proc. SPIE 0501, State-of-the-Art Imaging Arrays and Their Applications, (8 November 1984); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.944681

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available