Fano-noise-limited CCDsRecent developments of scientific CCDs have produced sensors that achieve ultra low read noise performance (less than 2 electrons rms) and near perfect charge transfer efficiency (0.9999996) without the addition of a fat-zero. This progress has now made it possible to achieve Fano-noise-limited performance in the soft X-ray where the detector's energy resolution is primarily limited by the statistical variation in the charge generated by the interacting X-ray photon. In this paper, Fano-noise-limited test data is presented for two different CCD types and a CCD derived estimate of the Fano factor is determined. By evaluating ultra low-modulation images (less than 1 electron peak-to-peak) it is shown that the CCD's global CTE is now superior to its read noise floor. To capitalize on this capability CCD manufacturers are now focusing their attention on reducing the noise floor below the 1 electron level thereby matching the sensor's CTE performance. This improvement, if accomplished, will push Fano-noise-limited performance for the CCD into the extreme ultra-violet.
Document ID
19890052913
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Janesick, James (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Elliott, Tom (California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, United States)
Bredthauer, Richard (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Chandler, Charles (Ford Aerospace Corp. Newport Beach, CA, United States)