Photon counting and fast photometry with L3 CCDs

Simon M. Tulloch

doi:10.1117/12.550353

30 September 2004 Photon counting and fast photometry with L3 CCDs

Simon M. Tulloch

Proceedings Volume 5492, Ground-based Instrumentation for Astronomy; (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.550353
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2004, Glasgow, United Kingdom

Abstract

The new L3 Technology CCDs from E2V allow detector read noise to be decoupled from readout speed. If operated at sufficiently high gain, the read noise drops to sub-electron levels and photon counting becomes possible. At ING we have incorporated CCD60 , CCD87 and CCD97 L3 detectors into cryogenic cameras coupled to SDSU controllers for a variety of tests both in the lab and on-sky using the 4.2m William Herschel Telescope. These detectors have been operated in proportional and photon-counting mode using an in-house Linux based DAS. We have gained a number of insights into photon counting optimisation, how to cope with the effects of the L3 pipeline delay and the reduction of internal device-generated spurious charge. We have also discovered a statistical method for determining the gain of an L3 system from pulse height analysis of the individual photon events. Our on-sky test program has consisted to date of high frame rate photometry of the Crab Nebula Pulsar.

Citation Download Citation

Simon M. Tulloch "Photon counting and fast photometry with L3 CCDs", Proc. SPIE 5492, Ground-based Instrumentation for Astronomy, (30 September 2004); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.550353

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