Fumio Iwase

Characteristics of a TV-rate electron bombardment CCD camera

We have developed the two kinds of Electron Bombardment CCD Camera employing a full frame transfer type and a frame transfer type electron bombardment sensor made by Hamamatsu Photonics. Especially in order to make a camera practicable for various application, we improve the image resolution and tried to measure the life of frame transfer type sensor. With regard to the resolution, there are many factors which degrades the resolution. This time, we reduced the gap length between a photo-cathode and a CCD to 60 percent of original one, hence, the sensor had greater resolution than 450 TV. Furthermore life of sensor is getting longer, because of the MPP CCD structure. C7162-20 Frame transfer Electron Bombardment CCD camera performs as a standard TV rate camera. From the point of camera performance, it can be replaced the SIT tube camera and I-CCD camera. In order to prove this fact, camera was compared with GEN 4 I-CCD camera which uses a small aperture MCP and a Blue-GaAs photo- cathode coupled to the CCD through optical fiber, and we show the result of comparison.

Electron bombardment CCD camera

Two kinds of electron bombardment CCD (EB-CCD) camera are newly developed, employing an EB-CCD sensor made by Hamamatsu Photonics. The slow scan cooled CCD camera installs the full frame transfer type EB-CCD sensor with 512 X 512 pixel format and standard video rate camera installs the frame transfer type EB-CCD sensor with 658 X 490 pixel format. For slow scan camera, EB-CCD sensor is cooled down to -25 degree C to realize high sensitivity utilizing long exposure time and very low noise performance. And instead of mechanical shutter, high speed electrical gated function is installed in this camera. Standard video rate camera has a function of recursive filter and auto background subtraction as a standard in order to get high quality image. Furthermore, camera can select both inter- laced scan and progressive scan readout mode. These cameras have been compared with the other high sensitive camera like SIT camera, photon counting camera and I-CCD camera which results in proving that these EB-CCD camera are suitable and ideal.