Various silicon devices are presently under development to enable the 3-dimensional reconstruction, with a precision of a few µm, of the particle trajectories very close to the interaction point, both for fixed target and collider experiments. The techniques employed are quite similar to those used for X-ray or infrared imaging.

Semiconductor drift chambers have been recently proposed for particle detection. Their functional principle is similar to gas drift chambers: under the influence of an electric field charge carriers (electrons) are drifting to an anode, where they can be used for energy and/or position measurements.

We describe here the read-out system and performance for the two charge-coupled devices being used in the NA32 charm production experiment on the SPS at CERN by the ACCMOR Collaboration.

An imaging system for digital slot-radiography is described. The image detector consists of a bar-shaped linear X-ray to visible light convertor, in direct optical contact with an array of dedicated TDI-CCD image sensors. The imaging system Ills a dynamic range exceeding 1000 and a resolution determined by a pixel-rate of 10-1 mm . Scan time for a 400 x 400 mm2 image is 1 second typically.

Design considerations and feasibility of a self-scanned circular electron-sensitive CCD readout array to be incorporated within a circular-scan streak tube are discussed. For a scan diameter of 30 mm the circular array will comprise 3500 detector elements. Estimates of the performance characteristics are presented with particular reference to detection sensitivity and signal-to-noise requirements. This streak tube with integral readout is designed to have a temporal resolution ⪅5 ps and will form an essential part of a future spaceborne laser ranging system.

Silicon charged particle detectors, made by a newly developed process, have been studied. Passivated ion-implanted junctions are fabricated in high resistivity FZ n-type Silicon, using planar technology. For many charged particle detector applications the sensitive volume of the diode has to be high : active areas of several cm2 and thicknesses of 100 to 500 micron are wanted. Diodes with a high breakdown voltage (100 to 500 volts) are required so that the full wafer thickness can be depleted. The diode leakage current has to be small (1-5 nA/cm2/100 μ ) for low noise, high resolution performance. An important parameter characterizing the performance of semiconductor detectors is the dead layer thickness caused by the shallow p junction. Various measurement and calculation techniques are compared and show that window thicknesses in the range of 50 nm can be readily obtained. Alpha-particle spectra are given to prove the superiority of these detectors over conventional Au-Si-Surface Barrier Detectors.

One of the most dramatic demonstrations of the continuing advancement in VLSI has been the solid-state image sensor. Since the first array demonstration in 1967, the increase in pixel density in image sensors has matched the increase in cell density in dynamic memories. Today, image sensors with densities of 360,000 elements are available for consumer applications, and sensors with well over a million elements have been developed for government and scientific applications. Although electronic imaging has dominated the commercial and government market for many years, widespread application in consumer products has been limited by the high cost and low resolution of solid-state sensors as compared to vidicon-type tubes. Now, however, the cost of image sensors for television applications has fallen to a point at which it is attractive to design consumer products such as video cameras using solid-state image sensors. As a result, image sensors have entered the consumer marketplace as well. We discuss some of the advances made at Eastman Kodak Company in two areas: very high-speed image sensors and very high-density color image sensors. A brief introduction to image sensor architecture is presented, followed by descriptions of a 2000-frame/second sensor for high-frame-rate imaging and a 360,000-pixel color sensor for imaging photographic negatives.

Dark current and some other characteristics on a 1/2" frame transfer CCD ( FICCO ) image sensor with 600 (H) X 502 (V) pixels are described. It is generally said that high sensitivity and high horizontal resolution are obtained for the CCD image sensor of a frame transfer organization. But the smaller the pixel size is, the less some characteristics become. This paper reports that there is a close correlation between dark currnt and the surface state density, which can be reduced by introducing the suitable post metallization annealing. As a result, the S/N of video signal under low intensity of illumination is can be enhanced on the occasion of the reduction in the pixel size.

The concept of a new type of CCD-imager is presented that uses both electrons and holes as information carriers. The device contains two separately operating p- and n-type imagers and is called PAN-imager. The p- and n-type pixels are situated in an interdot structure. Furthermore the total number of pixels as well as the number of signal charges is doubled without an increase in area. By this an improvement in resolution, light sensitivity and Moire suppression is obtained. Moreover it yields an improved contour correction. Concept, operation and properties of the PAN-imager are discussed.

This paper describes the methodology, which is used in IMEC for the realization of very high resolution linear image sensors. The key elements in design and processing are the use of the DEPLI- sensor principle, a quadrilinear read-out approach and the use of p-p+ epi-material. The feasibility of these principles are demonstrated on devices with a pitch of 8,6,5 and 4 μm and with a number of pixels ranging from 800 to 4096. A standard triple poly, buried channel process is used for the fabrication of the devices. A charge transfer inefficiency of better than 1.E-5 is measured and a data rate of over 5 MHz can be achieved. The dark current is less than 2 nA/cm2, the responsivity equals 0.36 A/W at 700 nm wavelength and the non-uniformity is less than ± 5 % for all sensor types.

The whole image area of frame transfer charge coupled device ( FT-CCD ) image sensors is light sensitive. The sensitivity for short wavelengths, however, is limited by the presence of polycrystalline silicon ( poly-Si ) electrodes. This paper describes elements contributing to the improvement of the light sensitivity. It will focus on the reduction of reflectance losses.

After a short treatment of the basic principles involved in visible-light image sensors the factors determining resolution, sensitivity and dynamic range are discussed. Recent improvements in XY-addressed, interline and frame transfer sensors are presented to demonstrate the versatility of design and technology.

A new, high resolution CCD imager has been developed. An interline transfer CCD chip is swung synchronously at frame frequency in a horizontal direction with the aid of newly-designed piezoelectric bimorph actuators. Though the swing operation using these actuators, 560 TV line horizontal limiting resolution, is twice higher than the conventional operation, it has been realized without increasing CCD pixels on the Si-chip. The newly-designed signal processing circuit, its band being less than 7 MHz, fits the NTSC system and has achieved high-resolution images for the new device.

The use of Linear and Quasi-Linear Time Delay and Integra-tion) CCD imagers has expanded greatly over the last decade. Applications have ranged from airborne reconnaissance, to facsimile, to automated mail-sack sorting. Early device performance was primarily set by what it was possible to fabricate, and systems were limited by the devices available. Subsequent detectors have been progressively more influenced by system-dominated performance requirements, which have determined many imager chip functional parameters, such as; pixel size, pixel number, number of TDI integrations, pixel/phase structure, saturation charge, readout rate, spectral window, and tailored optical admittance. This paper discusses some ways in which required system performance and device design rules interact to establish specifications for detector/array designs. Since unique system-specific device configurations are not cost-effective, general classes of systems may be established which bound the needs for a finite number of device designs. Examples are presented to illustrate performance/design relationships.

A new approach to subnanosecond spectroscopy using a stripline microchannel plate as an optical gate for a stack of seven linear arrays is discussed. This new technique allows seven subnanosecond time slices of the spectrum to be read out on a single cable with a frame time of 1 ms. Each of the seven time slices is capable of 500 channels of spectral data, with each channel having a dynamic range of 1000/1.

This paper describes the performance of two CCD image sensors of 512x512 and 2048x2048 pixel format. These devices were designed specifically for scientific imaging applications.

Special readout techniques have been applied to commercially available Frame Transfer CCD's. Notable achievements are:- (i) Fast readout of partial fields at full resolution, or full fields at lower vertical resolution. (ii) Intrinsic exposure control. (iii) Image motion freezing. (iv) Increased dynamic range. (v) Image stabilisation in hand held or strapdown cameras. (vi) Time delay and Integration (TDI) for moving surveillance devices.

The Texas Instruments TC-104 linear CCD array with 3456 elements per line has been investigated especially with respect to applications in spaceborne imaging systems where parameters such as linearity, pixel non uniformity, dynamic range and decalibratability were of special importance.

MBB has started experimental work on three types of candidate optical sensors for Rendezvous & Docking (RVD) tasks, active laser diode radars, CCD cameras and position detector sensors plus combination of these. The result obtained until now with a test lab (including motion simulation) make each of them a promising candidate for this kind of applications for different range regimes. These sensors are conceived as multi-sensor head systems together with a central processing unit to provide applicability beyond docking of space platforms. A description of the sensors, their technical development requirements, achieved performance results and combination packages plus a proposal for in-orbit test missions is given in the paper.

This paper discusses a programme to test and partially qualify CCDs for use in space. The particular application is for high accuracy star sensors; the CCDs are P8600 series devices, manufactured by GEC UK and are supplied mounted on Peltier coolers. Parameters of interest are noise, dark signal and response non-uniformities, charge transfer efficiency and saturation level as well as overall package quality and long-term reliability. The performance testing uses conventional optical techniques plus X-ray calibration. The qualification and screening programme involves burn-in, mechanical vibration, thermal cycling, and life testing. As an illustration, some of the latest performance data are presented.

The development of large-format CCD arrays at Tektronix (Elouke, et al., 1985) has led to the proposal for such an array to be placed at the focus of the Hubble Space Telescope, where it will potentially become the workhorse of space astronomy during the 1990s. The characteristics of the Tektronix CCD make it a near-ideal focal plane detector for space astronomy in the 100 - 1000nm wavelength range: the large format (2048 x 2048 pixels) and 27μm pixel size are closely matched to the HST resolution and field of view for the radial-bay; the low readout noise (goal ~3 electrons rms) and large full well capacity (750,000 electrons) lead to a dynamic range which is orders of magnitude greater than the first-generation HST cameras; the quantum efficiency and overall throughput are close to theoretical limiting values; and the excellent charge transfer efficiency ensures that the near-ideal sensitivity limit of HST can be reached. The Advanced Radial Camera will greatly expand the capabilities of the first generation instruments on HST. It will allow the continuation of all programs begun with the first generation HST cameras, while enabling their completion on significantly shortened timescales.

In next generation earth observation satellites the spectral bands will extend from visible over near infrared to far infrared wavelengths. To improve the system's sensitivity and the geometrical resolution the detector focal plane array (FPA) will be provided with a few thousands of detectors. The favourite candidate material for the (8-12) μm-atmospheric window is CMT. Its performance requires detector temperatures of 77 K and, because of the large number of detectors, signalpreprocessing located in the FPA. The signal readout procedure can be carried out via Charge Coupled Devices (CCDs).

The intent of this paper is to suggest to the electro-optic design community that recent technological advances in thermal detector focal planes have increased the attraction of IR staring arrays as contrasted to the widespread utilization of mechanically scanned arrays. Following a brief overview of both scanning and staring imaging concepts, a variety of IR imaging scenarios are used to compare these two approaches.