Abstract
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.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abdalla, F., et al.: The dark energy spectrometer (DESpec): a multi-fiber spectroscopic upgrade of the dark energy survey and camera for the Blanco Telescope. In preparation.
Amelio, G.F., Tompsett, M.F., Smith, G.E.: Experimental verification of the charge coupled device concept. Bell Syst. Tech. J. 49(4), 593–600 (1970)
Analog Devices: 2.5 MSPS, 24-Bit, 100 dB Sigma-Delta ADC with On-Chip Buffer, Analog Devices. http://www.analog.com/static/imported-files/data_sheets/AD7760.pdf (2006)
Schlegel, D., et al.: BigBOSS: the ground-based stage IV dark energy experiment. http://arxiv.org/abs/0904.0468 (2009)
Boyle, W.S.: Nobel lecture: CCD—an extension of man’s view. Rev. Mod. Phys. 82(3), 2305–2306 (2010)
Chandler, C.E., Bredthauer, R.A., Janesick, J.R., Westphal, J.A., Gunn, J.E.: Sub-electron noise charge coupled devices. SPIE Charg.-Coupled Devices Solid State Opt. Sens. 1242, 238–251 (1990)
Diehl, H.T., et al.: Characterization of DECam focal plane detectors. In: Dorn, D.A., Holland, D. (eds.) High Energy, Optical and Infrared Detectors for Astronomy III, Proceedings of the SPIE, vol. 7021, p. 70217 (2008)
DALSA-Teledyne: http://www.dalsa.com/
Estrada, J., et al.: CCD testing and characterization for Dark Energy Survey. In: McLean, I.S., Iye, M. (eds.) Ground-Based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy, Proceedings of the SPIE, vol. 6269, p. 62693K (2006)
Estrada, J., et al.: Prospects for a direct dark matter search using high resistivity CCD detectors. arXiv:0802.2872v3 [hep-ex](1Jul2008) (2008)
Flaugher, B.: The Dark Energy Survey instrument design. In: McLean, I.S., Iye, M. (eds.) Ground-Based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy, Proceedings of the SPIE, vol. 6269 (2006)
Holland, S.E., Groom, D.E., Palaio, N.P., Stover, R.J., Wei, M.: Fully depleted, back-illuminated charge-coupled devices fabricated on high-resistivity silicon. IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 50(1), 225–238 (2003)
Honscheid, K., DePoy, D.L.: The Dark Energy Camera (DECam). A new instrument for the Dark Energy Survey. IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record NSS ’08, pp. 3357–3360 (2008)
Janesick, J.R.: Scientific Charge Coupled Devices. SPIE Publications, Bellingham, Washington (2001)
Janesick, J.R., et al.: New advancements in charge-coupled device technology: sub-electron noise and 4096×4096 pixel CCDs. SPIE Charg.-Coupled Devices Solid State Opt. Sens. 1242, 223–237 (1990)
McLean, I.: Electronic Imaging in Astronomy—Detectors and Instrumentation, 2nd edn. Springer-Praxis, Berlin (2008)
Smith, G.E.: Nobel lecture: the invention and early history of the CCD. Rev. Mod. Phys. 82(3), 2307–2312 (2010)
Wey, H.M., Guggenbuhl, W.: An improved correlated double sampling circuit for low noise charge coupled devices. IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst. 37(12), 1559–1565 (1990)
Acknowledgements
We want to thank the Fermilab staff at SiDet facility, in particular Kevin Kuk, Donna Kubik, Walter Stuermer who helped us with the operations of CCDs systems; and Stephen Holland from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for always being available to answer our CCD questions.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
FERMILAB-PUB-11-391, Work supported by Fermi Research Alliance, LLC under Contract No. DE-AC02-07CH11359 with the United States Department of Energy.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cancelo, G.I., Estrada, J.C., Moroni, G.F. et al. Achieving sub electron noise in CCD systems by means of digital filtering techniques that lower 1/f pixel correlated noise. Exp Astron 34, 13–29 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10686-012-9294-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10686-012-9294-1