AASTRONOMYSTRONOMY / PHYSICSPHYSICS CCATALOGATALOG 22007007

M31 by Adam Block and Tim Puckett, using Alta U9000 and Televue 127is telescope.

11020020 SSundownundown Way,Way, SteSte 115050 RRosevilleoseville CCAA 9956615661 UUSASA ttelel 9916-218-745016-218-7450 ffaxax 9916-218-745116-218-7451 hhttp://www.ccd.comttp://www.ccd.com

©2007 Apogee Instruments Inc. iintrontro ffeaturedeatured pproductsroducts aaltalta & aascentscent cccdcd sselectionelection ccustomerustomer pprofilesrofiles ccustomersustomers iintrontro ffeaturedeatured pproductsroducts aaltalta & aascentscent cccdcd sselectionelection ccustomerustomer pprofilesrofiles ccustomersustomers

11020020 SSundownundown Way,Way, SteSte 115050 HHIGHIGH PPERFORMANCEERFORMANCE RRosevilleoseville CCAA 9566195661 USAUSA FFEATUREDEATURED PPRODUCTSRttelelO 9916-218-745016D-21U8-7C45T0 S CCOOLEDOOLED CCDCCD CAMERASCAMERAS ffaxax 9916-218-745116-218-7451 hhttp://www.ccd.comttp://www.ccd.com

A DECADE OF pecifi cation sheets and mechanical ALTA U16M ASCENT A16000 drawings for all Apogee cameras can IMPROVEMENTS S be found at our website, www.ccd.com, or The U16M is partly new product and partly Kodak KAI-16000 There are many technological jumps de- on our Integration Starter Kit CD. Please dramatic change in Kodak’s pricing of an 4872 x 3248 signed into the Altas. But other aspects of contact us to receive your free copy. old standby for huge fi eld-of-view. Kodak 7.4 micron pixels the technology represent refi nement upon has added anti-blooming and microlenses, 36 X 24 mm refi nement over more than a decade. Our maintaining most of the quantum effi ciency 867 mm2 cooling technology, for example, is far ahead of the old U16. Full Well: 40K of the competition, not just because of what it is, but because of what it isn’t. We’ve made Kodak’s newest large format interline transfer mistakes--and survived to apply the lessons U16M U9000 CCD shares the 35mm fi lm format with the learned to improving the product and the Kodak KAF-16803 Kodak KAF-09000 KAI-11002. Smaller pixels are an ideal company as a whole. We continue to refi ne 4096 x 4096 3056 x 3056 THE EVOLUTION OF ALTA match for large fi elds of view on shorter focal not just our electronics and our mechanical 9 micron pixels 12 micron pixels length telescopes. AND ASCENT designs, but also our procedures, our docu- 36.9 x 36.9 mm 36.7 x 36.7 mm mentation, our customer recordkeeping. It’s 1359 mm2 1346 mm2 Since 1993, Apogee Instruments has quite an accomplishment to manufacture and Full Well: 85K Full Well: 110K been supplying cooled CCD cameras to sell thousands and thousands of cameras, but astronomers around the world. Our cameras VdB14 by Tim Puckett / Adam Block, using unless they are robust, the result is a customer Alta U9 camera and Takahashi 180 scope. are now used in more than 50 countries, service tsunami. HIGHEST QUANTUM from world-class professional observatories In our effort to improve our process, we’ve EFFICIENCY BACK- ALTA U9000 to backyard domes where “amateurs” add WE HONOR OUR ROOTS achieved the following benchmarks: For those with medium focal lengths, the new discovery after discovery every day. Over ILLUMINATED CCDs · FCC compliance Astronomy is the foundation of our business. 12 micron format is a great fi t for large fi eld the years, we have kept track of every You’ll see us in Sky&Telescope, in Physics · CE compliance of view. The U9000 also sports twice the suggested improvement that we could add Today, and at American Astronomical Society · ROHS compliance ALTA U42 2048 x 2048 full well capacity of the interline 11000, high- to the cameras to bring our technology to meetings. And you’ll see new astronomy · ISO-9000 compliance (in process) er quantum effi ciency, and much lower dark the next level. We have packed Alta and products added all the time: see page 2. U42 current. The 300X anti-blooming is ideal for Ascent with as much of your wish lists as Our cameras have been used for high-end E2V CCD42-40 DIVERSITY ADDS astronomical applications like capturing the astrophotography. possible. With Alta, we aimed at the highest 2048 x 2048 fi rst images of optical counterparts of gamma performance; with Ascent, we aimed at STRENGTH ray bursts, plus thousands of discoveries of 13.5 micron pixels Alta cameras integrate the best of the best in higher speeds and more accessible pricing. comets, near-Earth asteroids, and extra-solar 27.6 x 27.6 mm imaging components: from back-illuminated planets. But they have also been used for the 764 mm2 CCDs to front-illuminated CCDs to interline detection of fi ngerprints; x-ray inspection of Full Well: 100K transfer CCDs. We know their strengths and car parts; fl uorescent imaging of cell tissues; weaknesses from fi rst-hand experience. We munitions testing, laser beam profi ling, ALTA U47 1024 x 1024 can guide you to the best trade-offs between Raman spectroscopy; poacher surveillance, E2V CCD47-10 price and performance--or we can show you mammography; optics testing, and searching Ascent A16000 Camera 1024 x 1024 the best of the best if you’re done with com- for a lower-cost means to detect anthrax. 13 micron pixels promise... By expanding into other markets with ASCENT A4000 other demands, Apogee has had to confront 13.3 x 13.3 mm Image courtesy Dr. David Rapaport, UCSD. many technological hurdles that were not 177 mm2 Kodak KAI-4021 previously considered to be “astronomical” Full Well: 100K 2048 X 2048 problems. For example, life science markets 7.4 micron pixels want SPEED....but as it turns out, our Back-illuminated CCDs have long been the 15.2 X 15.2 mm astronomical customers were quite frustrated ideal research instruments of the astronomy 230 mm2 with long readout times. Improvements community. Their exceptional sensitivity Full Well: 40K created for life science turned out to be best and low readout noise make them ideal for sellers in astronomy. Less time waiting for minimizing exposure time and maximizing This Kodak CCD has long been a popular readout means more images per precious signal-to-noise in low light applications like CCD for life science applications. High cloudless night. Ascentscent astronomy. Blue boxes are actual size of imaging CCD volume there has driven down its costs, and ©2007 Apogee Instruments Inc. Alta is a registered Specifi cations subject to change without notice. imaging area. For comparison, this is the size made it an exceptional value for its resolu- trademark of Apogee Instruments Inc. of a Kodak KAF-0402ME: tion. Like its larger cousin the KAI-16000, the smaller pixels are an ideal match for Apogee Instruments Inc. www.ccd.com www.ccd.com shorter focal lengths. intro featured products aaltalta & aascentscent ccd selection customer profiles customers intro featured products aaltalta & aascentscent ccd selection customer profiles customers

AALTALTA vversusersus AASCENTSCENT SSERIESERIES CCAMERASAMERAS

The primary differences between the Alta and Ascent Series cameras: Alta is larger, with better cooling, and lower noise Ascentscent electronics. Ascent is very compact with much lower costs, much faster digitization, and programmable gain. See the chart below for an overview of the differences. See camera data sheets to get details of a specifi c model.

Apogee Instruments Inc. Feature Alta Ascent Digitization Fast 12 and slower 16 bit 16 bit, programmable speed LOWER COSTS Maximum throughput Up to 7 Mpixels/sec (Note 1) Up to 20 Mpixels/sec (Note 1) Many applications can achieve excellent Dual channel interline readout N/A Standard results without the ultimate in cooling or low Maximum cooling 55C below ambient (Note 2) 40C below ambient (Note 2) readout noise. The Ascent is an ideal solution for many applications where several thousand Programmable gain N/A Standard dollars may be more important than a few USB2 interface Standard Standard electrons. Ethernet 100baseT interface Optional N/A There are many factors to consider when choosing a CCD camera: cost, resolution, LLOWOW RREADOUTEADOUT NOISENOISE Electromechanical shutter Standard, internal (Note 3) Optional, external (Note 4) speed, noise, cooling, sensitivity, housing Vane shutter N/A Standard, internal (Note 5) Alta’s readout electronics were designed to size. Other features may contribute to a HHIGHERIGHER TTHROUGHPUTHROUGHPUT minimize readout noise. The higher speed Programmable fan speed Standard N/A system’s overall suitability, but most of software-selectable 12-bit mode is intended Ascent was designed to operate at speeds these features are shared by the Alta and Field upgradeable fi rmware Standard Standard for focussing, and not optimized for low up to the maximum allowed by USB2. Ascent. In general, consider the following Chamber window Fused silica BK7 (optional fused silica) noise. Digitization speed is programmable so you key requirements to determine the optimal can choose your ideal trade-off between Peripheral communications Two serial COM outputs N/A platform: AADVANCEDDVANCED CCOOLINGOOLING speed and noise. All speeds digitize at a full General purpose I/O port Standard Standard 16 bits. Alta: To maximize heat dissipation, Alta’s large Programmable LEDs Standard Standard Low readout noise inner chamber, back plate, and heatsinks are Power input 12V 6V machined from a single block of aluminum. Maximum cooling Internal memory 32 Mbytes 32 Mbytes Back-illuminated CCDs The four fans have four programmable Wide variety of CCDs Yes Yes Very large format CCDs speeds. CCOMPACTOMPACT HHOUSINGOUSING Optional ethernet interface The Ascent’s smaller, more lightweight External triggering Standard Standard BBACK-ILLUMINATEDACK-ILLUMINATED CCCDsCDs housing fi ts in many places that the larger Image sequences Standard Standard Ascent: Alta cannot. For smaller scopes where Hardware binning Up to 8 x height of CCD Up to 4 x height of CCD Low cost Back-illuminated CCDs are much more weight at the end of the tube may be an issue, Subarray readout Standard Standard High speed readout expensive than front illuminated CCDs, so the Ascent may be a more suitable platform. Compact housing they are chosen when absolutely necessary TDI readout (Note 6) Standard Standard for maximum signal-to-noise under low light Kinetics mode Standard Standard conditions. Their higher dark current per square millimeter requires the higher cooling C-mount interface (Note 7) Standard for D1 housing Optional, external (Note 7) of larger Alta housing. (Some very small Software universality Standard Standard spectroscopic format back-illuminated CCDs Housing size 6” x 6” x 2.5” (Note 8) 5.7” x 3.8” x 1.3” are available in the Ascent platform; for Warranty 2 years 2 years details see our Spectroscopy catalog.) Warranty against condensation Lifetime Lifetime VVERYERY LLARGEARGE FORMATFORMAT CCDSCCDS Note 1 Maximum speed varies from model to model. The Alta platform is available in several Note 2 Maximum cooling varies from model to model. housing sizes, accomodating CCDs up to Note 3 Electromechanical shutters are standard for full frame CCDs, and optional for interline CCDs. 50mm on a side. Note 4 Electromechanical shutters are optional for all models. OOPTIONALPTIONAL EETHERNETTHERNET Note 5 Vane shutters are standard for smaller full frame CCDs, optional for interline CCDs. Note 6 Interline CCDs cannot do TDI readout. An optional ethernet 100baseT interface is available for the Alta platform. Note 7 CCDs >1” video format are too large for C-mount optics (larger than a KAF-3200ME). Note 8 Some housings are larger.

Left: M16 by Tim Puckett, using Alta U9 camera and 60 cm. telescope. intro featured products alta & ascent ccd selection ccustomerustomer pprofilesrofiles customers intro featured products alta & ascent ccd selection ccustomerustomer pprofilesrofiles customers CCUSTOMERUSTOMER PROFILESPROFILES GGALLERYALLERY

EEXTRAXTRA SSOLAROLAR PLANETSPLANETS AASTRODONSTRODON

Tom Kaye is one of very few amateur Don Goldman analyzed lunar rocks as a astronomers who have detected an extra- doctorate student in the “Lunatic Asylum” at solar planet. His instruments: a spectrograph Caltech, but only recently became interested and an Apogee AP7 camera with a back- in astronomy. After leaving Caltech with a illuminated CCD. (He is now using an Alta Ph.D., he held research and management U47 camera.) His method: detection of faint positions in industry and government shifts in the spectra coming from Tau Boo labs. He earned an M.B.A. from the U. of using the camera’s extremely high quantum Washington and started his own company, effi ciency, very low readout noise, and Optical Solutions, designing, building and superior cooling. marketing fi ber optic spectroscopic analyzers Detail: Radial velocity measurements to Fortune 500 companies requiring real-time are also commonly known as redshift and chemical information in their manufacturing blueshift measurements. When a light source facilities. He has 11 patents, over 30 peer- approaches or recedes, its frequency changes, reviewed technical papers and dozens of talks in the same way that train horns change at technical symposia. pitch as they approach and move away. If His interests in astronomy started in 2001 our eyes were sensitive enough to detect “In our work on spectroscopy of extrasolar with a “trash” scope from a pawn shop. He such extremely small changes, we would planets, the light from a single star is noticed differences in color of the same see the train coming at us slightly bluer, and spread out over thousands of pixels. This object posted by respected imagers, and going away slightly redder. A star’s gravity normally requires a large telescope with a began to research the RGB fi lters used for is strong enough to keep a planet in orbit, but correspondingly large price tag. With the imaging. He helped to bring an understanding the planet is also pulling on the star.This tug additional quantum effi ciency of the Apogee to the imaging community regarding the causes the star to move back and forth as the camera, it was less expensive to increase our mixture of broadband and narrowband planet orbits the star. We cannot image the “aperture” with the back illuminated chip sources and how they impact color, especially companion planet directly, but we can detect than invest in a new scope. At the time it from doubly ionized oxygen (OIII). This its presence via the periodic movement of the was deemed impossible for a 16” (40 cm) lead him to develop Astrodon Tru-Balance star. scope to precisely measure extrasolar planet fi lters for better color balance and equal RGB velocities but our recent publication in the exposures. He founded his second company, JBAA outlines how it was done relying on Astrodon Imaging, for this purpose. He later the Apogee camera.” added OIII, SII and H-a narrowband fi lters, --Tom Kaye off-axis guiders and camera rotators, all focused on CCD imaging. He helped to form the Advanced Imaging Conference (AIC) in 2004 with Steve Mandel, and served on its board of directors for the fi rst two years. He has given numerous invited talks on color, fi lters, off-axis guiding and how to get into astrophotography at AIC, Imaging the Sky, Periodicity of Tau Boo as measured by RTMC, AstroImage and his local astronomy an Apogee AP7 camera and Tom Kaye’s group in Sacramento. He has published spectrograph. two papers in Sky and Telescope and many images in astronomy magazines. He had had several images chosen to be Astronomical Pictures of the Day (APOD). He participated Top left & bottom right: in remote observatories at New Mexico IC2177 “Seagull Nebula” and NGC Skies and PROMPT at Cerro Tololo in 2244 “Rosette Nebula”, by Don Chile. He will soon have a remote facility at Goldman using U16M camera & Apogee AP7 as mounted on Tom Kaye’s Sierra Remote Observatory at 4500’, east of Takahashi FSQ106N scope. spectrograph. Fresno, California, with fellow imager, Paul Others, clockwise from top right: Mortfi eld. At home he owns a Paramount N44 “Superbubble”, NGC 3132 ME, RCOS 12.5” RC, Takahashi FSQ106N “Southern Ring Nebula”, and NGC and E-180, Apogee and SBIG CCD cameras 2442, by SSRO-S / PROMPT, using ©2007 Apogee Instruments Inc. Alta is a registered Alta U47 camera, RC Optical 16” trademark of Apogee Instruments Inc. and, of course, any set of fi lters he wants. f/11.3 truss. (Taken at Cerro Tololo, Chile). intro featured products aaltalta & aascentscent ccd selection customer profiles customers intro featured products aaltalta & aascentscent ccd selection customer profiles customers

AALTALTA & AASCENT:SCENT: SSHAREDHARED FFEATURESEATURES AALTALTA & AASCENT:SCENT: SSPECIALPECIAL MMODESODES OOFF OOPERATIONPERATION

IINTERNALNTERNAL MMEMORYEMORY PPROGRAMMABLEROGRAMMABLE LLEDsEDs EEXTERNALXTERNAL TTRIGGERINGRIGGERING DDRIFTRIFT SSCANNINGCANNING KKINETICSINETICS MMODEODE IIMAGEMAGE SSEQUENCESEQUENCES 32 Mbytes of SDRAM image memory is The Alta and Ascent camera systems accept More formally known in astronomy as Kinetics Mode assumes that the user has Image sequences of up to 65535 images included in the Alta U Series and Ascent external hardware trigger signals through time-delay integration (TDI), this technique optically masked off all but the top most can be acquired and transferred to camera / camera heads. 24 Mbytes of image memory their camera I/O ports for a number of is a powerful tool for applications such section of the CCD. This exposed section is computer memory automatically. A delay is included in the Alta E Series camera purposes. Software and hardware triggers as photometry, as well as searching for illuminated, shifted by x rows, then exposed may be programmed between images from head. Local memory serves some important can be used together. For example, a software asteroids, comets, novae and supernovae. again until the user has exposed the entire 327 microseconds to 21.43 seconds. (This functions: or hardware trigger may be used to initiate a The primary method is to keep the surface of the CCD with y image slices. does not mean you can acquire images every First, with any network connection and single exposure or a sequence of exposures telescope stationary and to let the sky drift Two LEDs on the side of the cameras can 327 microseconds; it means you can program even USB2.0 connection, consistency in of a specifi c duration and specifi c delay down the chip. The CCD is precisely aligned be programmed to show status of a variety a delay of 327 microseconds between the download rates cannot be guaranteed. Some between exposures. Alternatively, a software with the sky, so that as the sky drifts, the of the camera functions, such as the camera end of a readout and the start of the next manufacturers go to great lengths to attempt trigger may be used to start a sequence, and image on the CCD is precisely clocked to ® has reached the set temperature, the shutter exposure.) to lock Windows up during downloads to the external trigger can be used to trigger continue building the image. When the is open, or the camera is waiting for an ensure that no pattern noise results from each subsequent image in the sequence. image reaches the last row, it is read to the external trigger. Alternatively, the LEDs The Alta and Ascent platforms allow for breaks in the digitization process, but such In addition, the external trigger can be host computer and added to a continuous strip can be turned off if you are concerned about three types of image sequencing: a lockup is not possible with network used to trigger row shifts for time-delayed of sky. stray light. The E Series cameras also have interfaces. The Alta and Ascent systems integration, or can be used to trigger block The movement of the stars equals the two green LEDs that indicate status of the Application-Driven Sequencing: buffer the image transfer to protect from shifts for kinetic imaging. cosine of the declination x 15°/hour. The network connection. This is the most common form of image noise-producing interruptions. wider the fi eld, and the further north that The image in the exposed area is shifted to sequencing. The application merely takes a Second, on heavily loaded USB2 SSOFTWAREOFTWARE SSEALEDEALED IINNERNNER CCHAMBERSHAMBERS the user scans from the celestial equator, the the masked area per software command, pre- specifi ed number of successive images. This ports, slower USB1.1 applications, loaded more the star-trails curve in the fi eld. set shift frequency, or external trigger. The MaxIm DL/CCD software is standard with The sensors for Alta and Ascent cameras type of sequencing is suitable when the time networks, or slower TCP/IP transfers, the The TDI capability utilizes a 25 MHz number of rows per section is predetermined every Alta, as well as an ActiveX driver that are sealed into an inner chamber fi lled with between image acquisitions is not short and maximum digitization rate could be limited time base (Ascents use a 48 MHz time base) and constant. is universal to all Apogee Alta and Ascent argon. The chamber has a lifetime guarantee where slight differences in timing from image without a local buffer. Local image memory against condensation. and local memory to achieve consistent allows very fast digitization of image cameras, as well as legacy AP and KX to image are not important. cameras. If you write custom code for an high resolution performance. TDI mode sequences up to the limit of the internal PPROGRESSIVEROGRESSIVE SSCANCAN allows the user to adjust the row shift rate. Apogee camera, you won’t have to change Precision back to back sequencing camera. The maximum digitization-to- Timing may be adjusted in 5.12 microsecond it later if you change models. Our cameras ((CONTINUOUSCONTINUOUS IIMAGING)MAGING) Altas and Ascents incorporate a fi rmware memory rates for 100baseT systems is 1.4 increments to a maximum of 336 are also supported by other programs like controlled back to back image sequencing megapixels per second, while the maximum Interline transfer CCDs fi rst shift charge milliseconds per row shift. The minimum CCDSoft. Linux and Mac OS X drivers are mode suitable for image-image intervals from digitization-to-memory rates for USB from the photodiode in each pixel to the TDI shift time is the digitization time for also available. 327uS to a maximum of 21.43 seconds in systems is 11 megapixels per second for the masked storage diode, and then march the one row. TDI cannot be done with cameras 327uS intervals. This provides for precision Alta and 20 megapixels/sec for the Ascent. charge through the storage diodes to the serial using interline CCDs, such as the U2000 and UUPGRADEABLEPGRADEABLE FFIRMWAREIRMWARE spacing of images in a sequence where There is a fundamental difference in register. Acquisition of a new image in the U4000. the way the Alta USB2 and network image The Alta and Ascent systems load all camera photodiodes during readout of the previous When the number of desired exposures has windows applications cannot respond. buffers function. The USB2 image buffer operating code on camera start. These image is called “progressive scan.” Alta and PPOWEROWER DDRIFTRIFT SSCANNINGCANNING been reached, or the CCD has been fi lled is capable of transferring data to the host confi guration fi les can be updated via the web Ascent cameras both support progressive (whichever comes fi rst), the entire array is Fast back to back sequencing (Ratio as we add features and make improvements. read out and digitized. If you want to use the while digitization of the CCD is active. As scan with interline CCDs. A variation of the drift scanning method Imaging - Interlines only) Each camera head has coded information entire CCD including the exposed area, then long as the USB2 transfer speed is greater described above uses timed shifts in combi- This is a special form of precision back to identifying the type of system, its the light source needs to be shuttered after than the digitization rate, the memory buffer nation with synchronized movement of the back sequencing designed for a fi xed <1 confi guration, and type of CCD used, as well the fi nal exposure (externally, electronically, will never fi ll. The network memory buffer telescope mount. Rather than wait for the microsecond spacing between a pair of as the fi rmware revision in use. This allows or electromechanically). or using an requires the image digitization to complete Earth to rotate, the scope moves in the direc- interline CCD exposures. The caveat with automatic confi guration of the camera in the electromechanical shutter). prior to transfer across the network. tion of the rotation and the row shift times this mode is that the exposure times for fi eld and better customer support from our are accelerated. Adjusting the drive rate faster each image must be greater than the readout offi ces. HHARDWAREARDWARE BBINNINGINNING allows for more sky coverage but at a loss of time for the image. For example, if using SSUBARRAYUBARRAY RREADOUTEADOUT limiting magnitude. the Ascent A2000 camera, the readout time Every Alta and Ascent camera supports for a full frame is less than 0.2 seconds so hardware binning. Horizontal binning is Alta and Ascent cameras support readout of your exposure would need to be at lest 0.2 up to 8 in the Alta and up to 4 in the Ascent. an arbitrary sub-section of the array in order seconds. Vertical binning is up to the height of the to speed up frame rate. (Please note that CCD for both systems. Binning can be used reading half the array, for example, does not to increase frame rate, dynamic range, or increase the frame rate by two because of Specifi cations subject to change without notice. apparent sensitivity by collecting more light overhead required in discarding unwanted into a superpixel. See additional detail under pixels. Below: TDI “stare”: Apogee cameras support Precision TDI and Kinetics Readout Modes. CCD University on our website. TTWO-YEARWO-YEAR WWARRANTYARRANTY Specifi cations subject to change without notice. All Apogee cameras have a standard two-year VdB142 by Adam Block / SARA www.ccd.com warranty and a lifetime guarantee against Observatory, using Apogee AP7 www.ccd.com condensation in the camera. camera and 0.9m scope on Kitt Peak. intro featured products alta & ascent ccd selection customer profiles customers intro featured products alta & ascent ccd selection customer profiles customers GGALLERYALLERY CCUSTOMERUSTOMER PROFILESPROFILES

A CCOMET,OMET, 6 NNEAREAR EEARTHARTH SSUPERNOVAEUPERNOVAE HHATAT NNETWORKETWORK OOBJECTS,BJECTS, & THOUSANDSTHOUSANDS OOFF AASTEROIDSSTEROIDS “In the race to detect faint supernovae, HAT (Hungarian Automated Telescope) early detection of objects as faint as is originally a compact observatory that 19th magnitude with relatively short operated without human intervention. exposures, low noise and fast downloads Development of HAT was initiated by is essential. The Apogee Alta E-47 has Bohdan Paczynski in 2001, with the original made this possible for our supernova search goal of monitoring the sky for bright project. The high quantum effi ciency of variables. The search for planetary transits the thinned, back-illuminated chip gives was begun in 2003. Since then the project us the sensitivity that we need to make has expanded to a network of telescopes faint detections. Low noise is achieved called HATNet. The network consists of in our hot high-desert environment with telescopes installed at two sites: the Fred Bill Yeung was born in Hong Kong, and the Alta’s effi cient thermoelectric cooling Lawrence Whipple Observatory (FLWO) spent decades living in Canada and the US with which we regularly achieve a 55 deg. in Arizona and the Submillimeter Array of before recently returning to Hong Kong. He Celcius delta from ambient temperature. The the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory still does remote observing with two setups lightning fast downloads of our Ethernet (SAO) atop Mauna Kea, Hawaii. This in New Mexico, one of which continues to capable Alta allows us to image over 500 expansion was very much promoted by the use an Apogee Alta U16. More recently his galaxies per night from a single telescope. Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics interests have moved from asteroid hunting to No other camera has given us this level of (CfA), the host institution of the principal exoplanet transits and photometry. performance, stability and reliability. The investigator, Gaspar Bakos. When he was a young boy, his father Apogee Alta is the only camera that I would bought him a low cost Japanese refractor. consider for serious science..” Above: Cederblad 214 & NGC 7822 When he saw Saturn’s rings for the fi rst time, --Ajai Sehgal Taken by Tim Puckett & Adam Block he was hooked. A primary school nature Camera: Alta U9000 (Televue 127) and Alta class talked about 1,600 discovered asteroids U9 (Takahashi 180) in the solar system. He decided it would be Total Integration Time: 45 hours nice to discover one. Then around 1996, Dennis Di Cicco wrote an article in CCD Astronomy about how to discover new asteroids with an 8” telescope in one’s backyard. That article was the fi nal push to get him started. Before 2000, he had discovered his fi rst asteroid. Bill has since discovered one comet, P/2002 BV (Yeung), now catalogued as 172P/ The HAT Network usees Apogee cameras for Yeung, six near-Earth objects, and about 2000 their search projects. asteroids, more than 1000 of which have been numbered. One object which has been much discussed is J002E3, the fi rst object observed to be captured by Earth’s gravity.

“I fi nd it extremely romantic to be the fi rst one on Earth to see a new asteroid. Sometimes when I am driving on a US NGC 1365 by SSRO-S/PROMPT, using Alta U47 and highway and see a mile post saying I am two RC Optical 16” f/11.3 truss. (Taken at Cerro Tololo, miles away from an exit, I fi nd it amazing Chile) that an asteroid 2 miles in diameter could be discovered by me, using an 18” scope from 200 million kilometers away. Of course Left: M45 all these discoveries would be impossible Taken by Tim Puckett & Adam Block without the help of CCD cameras. Apogee’s Telescope: Televue 127is large format / high QE cameras have lent a Camera: Alta U9000 big helping hand.” www.ccd.com --Bill Yeung intro featured products aaltalta & aascentscent ccd selection customer profiles customers intro featured products aaltalta & aascentscent ccd selection customer profiles customers

AALTALTA SSERIESERIES CCAMERAS:AMERAS: 00VERVIEWVERVIEW AALTALTA SSERIESERIES CCAMERAS:AMERAS: 00VERVIEWVERVIEW

AADVANCEDDVANCED CCOOLINGOOLING DDUALUAL DDIGITIZATIONIGITIZATION OOPTIONALPTIONAL EETHERNETTHERNET SSHUTTERSHUTTERS CCOMPACTOMPACT DDESIGNESIGN OOPTIONALPTIONAL LLOWOW PPROFILEROFILE HHOUSINGSOUSINGS The Apogee cooling system has long been With our fast USB2 systems, we offer dual The Alta E Series cameras fi rst read the entire Apogee Instruments uses the fi nest shutters The Alta systems are designed to be very one of the most advanced in the industry. digitization: high precision, low noise 16 bit image into the camera head memory, and available for our cameras from Vincent and compact. At 6”x6” and only 2.2” thick with Lower profi le housings are available for all The Alta control system has been expanded performance as well as high speed 12 bit for then transfer the image to the host computer Melles Griot. These shutters have been no external electronics, the Alta system packs Alta models to achieve <0.5” (<12.7mm) to 12 bits, allowing a temperature control focussing and other high frame rate needs. at a maximum of 200 kpixels/second. An carefully integrated into our camera heads a lot of power into a small package. The Alta back focal distances without internal shutters. range of 213K to 313K (-60 to +40 C) Digitization depth is selectable image by Alta U47 camera with 1 megapixel reads with minimum impact on back focal distance systems are more than a kilogram lighter than with 0.024 degree resolution. Sensors image in software the entire image to the computer in about and camera size. These shutters have a huge than their predecessor. have been added to monitor the heat sink 1.5 seconds. An E47 reads the image to the advantage of simple rotating blade shutters Alta cameras with small format CCDs have a temperature. A power indicator has been MMGF2GF2 CCOATEDOATED camera memory in 1.5 seconds, but then in terms of light blockage and minimum 0.69” (17.5 mm) C-mount back focal distance added to give the user an idea of how much FFUSEDUSED SSILICAILICA OOPTICSPTICS requires an additional 5 seconds to transfer exposure time. for direct interface to microscopes and C- drive is being given to the CCD cooler. The the image to the host computer. mount lenses. Medium format sensors use automatic back-off function is now handled the D2 housing with 2” thread. Large format by the fi rmware and driver. If the system sensors use the D7 housing with a 2.5” cannot reach the desired temperature, the UUNIQUENIQUE MMACAC AADDRESSDDRESS thread. Back focal distance for the D2 and system automatically backs off to a point The Alta E Series cameras each have a unique D7 housing is approximately 1.04” (26.4 where regulation can be maintained, 2 MAC address so they can be plugged directly mm). All cameras have a bolt circle with degrees above the maximum temperature into the internet for remote operation. We metric threads for adaptation to a wide reached. The new set point is given to the provide MaxIm software for remote control variety of fl anges. user. Cooling deltas of 40-60C (depending of the camera. They cannot be controlled on sensor area) are typical with simple air through your browser. cooling. Because the camera has slave serial, I2C, Apogee now offers liquid recirculation and auxiliary fi lter wheel and guider support, TTWOWO SSERIALERIAL COMCOM PORTSPORTS & GENERALGENERAL I/OI/O PORTPORT backs for Alta cameras. For customers an entire observatory can be controlled desiring greater temperature performance from behind a single camera interface. For Our general purpose I/O port can tell you where the camera housing will not go below WAN or WWW connections, a full TCP/IP Alta cameras use three shutter types, when the shutter is open, or can be used for the dew point, specifying liquid recirculation protocol gives safe data transfers at slower depending on the aperture. Apogee shutters a wide variety of external trigger inputs, will assure a lower dark count than is Professional grade details like magnesium- speeds. Note that the observatory to control use lower voltage coils then those listed including line-by-line control of TDI shifts. possible with forced air cooling. fl ouride coated fused silica windows. Apogee room cable can be replaced with an available as standard by the shutter manufacturers, Our two serial COM ports can control periph- also offers custom windows, including wedge wireless system, completely eliminating the roughly 1/2 of the standard voltage erals like fi lter wheels through the camera’s control cable (USB2 or ethernet). PPROGRAMMABLEROGRAMMABLE FFANSANS windows and customer supplied optics. need for cables. requirement. The lower voltages extend the A special bi-directional digital interface lifetimes of the shutters. Some customers require a complete absence SSINGLEINGLE 112V2V PPOWEROWER with 6 I/O lines can also be used to interface D1 housing, small format sensors: of vibration during an exposure. The Alta SSUPPLYUPPLY to other system components. High level Vincent Uniblitz 25mm Shutter systems have been designed for complete shutter signals, as well as digital strobes and D2 housing, medium format sensors: control of the cooling fans. The fans may be Alta camera systems include a 12V triggers, are available. Melles Griot 43mm Shutter turned off, or run at a much slower speed to international power supply (100V-240V D7 housing, large format sensors: maintain adequate cooling with no vibration. input), but can be operated from a clean 12V OOPTIONALPTIONAL LLIQUIDIQUID Melles Griot 63.5mm Shutter For applications where vibration is not an source. CCIRCULATIONIRCULATION issue, the fan speed may be maximized for Apogee offers optional Alta liquid Full frame CCDs typically require an greatest cooling. The fans used in the Alta CCABLEABLE LLENGTHENGTH recirculation backplates as well as electromechanical shutter unless the light system were selected for minimum Ethernet cabling can go to 100m. USB2 temperature-regulated liquid recirculators source is gated in some other way. Otherwise vibration. cables are limited to 5m between hubs, with for customers wanting to remove heat light falling on the sensor during the readout up to 5 hubs, for a total of 30m. However, dissipation from the area of the telescope; process corrupts the image. Interline there are USB1 and USB2 extenders wanting to house the camera inside an CCDs shift the charge from the photodiode available for operation up to 10 km. The enclosure; or wanting supplemental cooling. section of each pixel to the masked storage USB1 extenders slow the transfer to a The limitation: the temperature of the diode. For low light applications, the mask maximum of 500 kpixels per seoond, but recirculating liquid must not go below the is suffi ciently opaque to prevent smearing. this rate is still a far higher throughput than dew point. However, in high light applications, interline the E Series systems. USB2 extenders are CCDs require electromechanical shutters to available using Cat5 cable or fi ber optic prevent smearing during readout. cable.

www.ccd.com Specifi cations subject to change without notice. . Specifi cations subject to change without notice. www.ccd.com intro featured products alta & ascent ccd selection customer profiles customers intro featured products alta & ascent ccd selection customer profiles customers CCUSTOMERUSTOMER PROFILESPROFILES GGALLERYALLERY

SSARAARA ((SOUTHEASTERNSOUTHEASTERN RRAPTORAPTOR The wide fi eld cameras are each set at angles pointing outward from the central axis. This AASSOCIATIONSSOCIATION FFOROR allows each to cover a selected fi eld with RRESEARCHESEARCH ININ ASTRONOMY)ASTRONOMY) Left: IC1805 by Adam Block and Tim Puckett, a minimal overlap between each one. The using Alta U9000 and Televue 127is telescope. fovea camera is aligned with the axis. Each of SARA was formed in 1989 with members Below: NGC 2992 by SSRO-S / PROMPT, using the wide fi eld cameras has a fi eld of view of Florida Institute of Technology, East Alta U47 camera and RC Optical 16” f/11.3 truss. 19.5 x 19.5 degrees with a single pixel reso- Tennessee State University, University of (Taken at Cerro Tololo, Chile). lution of 34 arcseconds. The overlap between Georgia, and Valdosta State University. The each camera is 2 degrees. Total coverage objective was to create a mutually benefi cial is 1500 square degrees. The fovea camera association of institutions of higher education fi eld of view is 4 x 4 degrees with a spatial in the southeastern United States which have resolution near 5 times that of the wide fi eld. relatively small departments of astronomy RAPTOR A fovea will include a Johnson I and physics, and whose faculty members are fi lter and RAPTOR B, a Johnson R fi lter. all actively engaged in astronomical research. The consortium now also includes Florida International University, Clemson University, Ball State University, Agnes Scott College, the University of Alabama, and Valparaiso University. The SARA consortium was formed in response to the pending decommission of a 36-inch telescope at the Kitt Peak National Observatory. SARA was awarded use of the Tom Vestrand is the LANL Principal Investi- scope after submitting the winning proposal gator for the RAPTOR project. to the National Science Foundation. The telescope was originally constructed RAPTOR A and RAPTOR B comprise a by the Boller and Chivens Corporation, a multiple camera mount and a cluster of con- Cassegrain design with an effective focal trol computers. Each of these has an array of ratio of f/7.5. The mount and dome are four wide fi eld cameras surrounding a narrow computer-controlled, allowing for completely fi eld, fovea camera in the center. RAPTOR robotic observing without the presence of A and B are separated by 20 miles allowing A montage of images taken with a U47 human telescope operators. At an altitude for binocular vision. This set up allows for camera that revealed exciting new physics of 6800 feet, this Arizona location offers removing of false positives through compari- about the prompt optical emission from very stable seeing conditions and a fairly son and parallax. gamma ray bursts. low horizon in all directions save for the RAPTOR detects celestial optical northeast. transients automatically and autonomously SARA uses an Apogee AP7p camera as follows up on them before they fade away. well as an Alta U42. The Raptor system consists of a platform On-going research projects include: of four rapidly slewing robotic telescopes. · White dwarf stars (Oswalt, FIT) Three of these systems are sited at Fenton · Cool variable stars (Henson, ETSU). Hill: RAPTOR A, RAPTOR S, and RAPTOR · Cataclysmic variables, white dwarf and P. The fourth system, RAPTOR B, is sited at delta Scuti variables (Wood, FIT) LANCE at Los Alamos National Laboratory. · Binary star light curves (Van Hamme (TA-53) and Samac, FIU; Shaw, UGA) The outer cameras are Apogee AP10 CCDs · Structure of Galaxies (Smith, ETSU) mounted on 85mm Canon f/2.8 lenses. The · Asteroids studies (Leake, VSU). fovea camera is also an AP10 mounted on · Search for and monitoring of gamma ray a Canon 400mm f/2.8 lens. All lenses are bursts (Hartmann, CU) manual focus with calipers connected to the · Microvariability observations of Blazars focusing ring in order to have fi ner control of (Webb, FIU) Above: NGC 2024 “Flame Nebula” by Peter the focus. · Photometric observations of Seyfert Armstrong, using Alta E42 2048 x2048 back- galaxies (Rumstay, VSU) illuminated CCD camera and 24” f/5.5 telescope. Since the Summer of 1995, SARA has Right: Big Bear Solar Observatory, using Apogee also run an internship program, Research KX4 camera. Experiences for Undergraduates (REU), www.ccd.com The SARA 0.9m telescope on Kitt Peak. funded by the National Science Foundation. intro featured products aaltalta & aascentscent ccd selection customer profiles customers intro featured products aaltalta & aascentscent ccd selection customer profiles customers

AASCENTSCENT SSERIESERIES CCAMERAS:AMERAS: 00VERVIEWVERVIEW AACCESSORIESCCESSORIES

PPROGRAMMABLEROGRAMMABLE EEMCCDMCCD SSUPPORTUPPORT OOPTIONALPTIONAL LLIQUIDIQUID Our on-site experts can help you choose a LLIQUIDIQUID CCIRCULATIONIRCULATION / OOPTECPTEC FFILTERILTER WHEELSWHEELS camera and all support accessories. DDIGITIZATIONIGITIZATION CCIRCULATIONIRCULATION CCHILLERHILLER UNITUNIT AANDND FFILTERSILTERS AALTALTA FFILTERILTER WHEELWHEEL Unlike previous generations of Apogee cameras with fi xed digitization rates for each bit depth, the Ascent cameras feature programmable readout rates using 16-bit digitization. You can choose the best trade- off between noise and readout speed image- by-image. Some CCDs, like the interline transfers, can read two channels at up to 10 EMCCDs are unique among CCDs. It has MHz each, for a total throughput of over 20 a special charge multiplication circuit that megapixels per second. Other CCDs, like the intensifi es charge on-ccd before readout. full frame Kodaks, typically have a maximum Apogee offers optional Ascent liquid Gains of 1 to 2000 are possible on-CCD The Optec Intelligent Filter Wheel system useful throughput rate of about 7 to 10 MHz. recirculation back as well as temperature- Alta with optional liquid circulation adapter using this technology, resulting in detection allows use of multiple wheels, each with a See individual data sheets for specifi cs regulated liquid recirculators for customers Apogee offers an optional fi lter wheel for and optional liquid circulation / chiller unit of extremely low light levels. With a gain of custom identifi er. regarding each camera system. wanting to remove heat dissipation from 1, the CCD behaves much like a normal CCD nine 2” round fi lters or seven 2” square the area of the telescope; wanting to house with a maximum well depth of 28Ke- and fi lters. The fi lter wheel can be controlled di- the camera inside an enclosure; or wanting PPROGRAMMABLEROGRAMMABLE GGAINAIN a typical noise of 20e-. With higher gains, rectly from one of the Alta’s COM ports. The FFACEACE PPLATELATE AADAPTERSDAPTERS supplemental cooling. The limitation: the OOPTECPTEC TTCF-SCF-S FFOCUSERSOCUSERS CCD output noise approaches 1e- with a fi lter wheel is pictured here on the optional AANDND OOFFSETFFSET temperature of the recirculating liquid must severe reduction in usable well depth. The D9 housing (see below) All Ascent models feature programmable not go below the dew point. gain and bias offset programmable in the A247 uses an interline frame transfer CCD, OOVERSIZEVERSIZE HHOUSINGOUSING WWITHITH analog-to-digital converter. eliminating the need for a mechanical shutter and reducing smear. AASCENTSCENT FFILTERILTER WHEELWHEEL AADDEDDDED CCOOLINGOOLING GGUIDERUIDER IINTERFACENTERFACE CCOMPACTOMPACT DDESIGNESIGN Ascent cameras include a guider interface to popular telescope mounts. The interface The Ascent systems are extremely plugs into the 8 pin mini-DIN on the lightweight (0.6 kg) and compact. At 5.7” camera and provides a standard RJ11 plug x 3.2” (14.5 x 8.1 cm) and only 1.2” (3 cm) to the telescope. A relay interface is used thick with no external electronics, the Ascent where each mount channel (RA and DEC) is a marvel of compact electronics. The standard back focal distance for all models is is mechanically switched to an isolated Flange adapters allow you to attach anything Optec focusers compensate for focal shift due about 0.32” (0.8 cm). Ascent with optional liquid circulation common signal. from an SLR camera lens to a large to temperature. They supports instruments adapter and optional external fi lter wheel. instrument pack to your Apogee camera. We AANTI-REFLECTIVENTI-REFLECTIVE CCOATEDOATED up to 10 pounds (4.5 kg). Easy to use hand have sizes to fi t all Alta and Ascent cameras. control. BBK7K7 OOPTICSPTICS These units are machined precisely for An optional, deeper version of the D7 accurate concentricity. LLENSENS & SSLIP-FITLIP-FIT The standard chamber window for the Ascent housing, called the D9, is available with system is low cost BK7. An optional fused AADAPTERSDAPTERS liquid circulation cooling only, and provides AASTRODONSTRODON® FFILTERSILTERS silica window is also available for applica- cooling to 60°C below ambient for our U16, tions requiring higher throughput in the U16M, and U9000 cameras. ultraviolet. UUSB2SB2 EEXTENDERSXTENDERS VVANEANE SSHUTTERSHUTTERS Ascent cameras with full frame CCDs SSINGLEINGLE 66VV PPOWEROWER SSUPPLYUPPLY have internal shutters intended to prevent Ascent camera systems include a 6V smearing during readout for low light international power supply (100V-240V applications. The same professional-grade input), but can be operated from a clean 6V We carry adapters for: Takahashi, Televue, electromechanical shutters available as source. RC Optical systems, ASA, OGS, DFM, standard and internal in the Alta cameras are Cannon, Nikon, AstroOptik, Meade, ® also available as housed external options with Astrodon Tru-Balance fi lters are the fi rst Celestron and Orion the Ascent cameras. ® fi lters designed to match the sensitivity of The new Icron USB 2.0 Ranger extenders Specifi cations subject to change without notice. Ascent with optional liquid circulation, fi lter support USB cameras at distances from 50 modern CCD cameras, simplifying all aspects www.ccd.com Specifi cations subject to change without notice. wheel, and slip fi t adapter meters (Cat 5 cable) to 10 km (fi ber cable). of tri-color imaging of deep-sky objects. www.ccd.com intro featured products alta & ascent ccd selection customer profiles customers intro featured products alta & ascent ccd selection customer profiles customers GGALLERYALLERY CCUSTOMERUSTOMER PROFILESPROFILES

SSUPERNOVAEUPERNOVAE NNEAREAR EARTHEARTH OOBJECTSBJECTS Tim Puckett has a degree in photography and began in astronomy with photographing comets 30 years ago. He has been a pioneer in the fi eld of amateur digital astro-imaging, owning and operating numerous CCD cameras since 1988. Tim has also become an accomplished machinist and mount maker, and has built many robotic telescopes. He is currently operating a supernova search patrol. To date, Tim’s team has discovered 161 supernovae. Puckett uses custom software to keep track of all the telescopes in the network to avoid overlap and to optimize output. To date Puckett has taken more than one million images in the search. Observing from dusk until dawn on every clear night, Puckett images approximately 1200 to 4000 galaxies per night. In addition, Puckett uses computers to control the robotic telescopes and sends the images to other volunteers via the Internet. Each image is manually compared Tim with Brian Marsden at the Puckett (“blinked”) to archive images. Puckett David routinely images to magnitude Observatory. spends approximately 40-50 hours each week 21 with his Apogee cameras and 0.4 meter telescope. running the search. All the team members Tim’s photos of comets and deep-sky have contributed thousands of hours each. objects have been published in books and JJORNADAORNADA OOBSERVATORYBSERVATORY Professional astronomers further study magazines in 25 countries. His work has also these supernovae (exploding stars) to better been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, David Dixon pushes his telescope right to understand the life cycle of stars and the CNN, BBC, The Discovery and Learning the limits imaging NEO’s. In early 2000 an acceleration of the universe. Channels and Good Morning America. increased awareness of the role of impact Tim is currently manager of Astronomy events on the history of the earth, and the Sales at Apogee Instruments Inc. need for observations of NEOs at magnitudes greater than 20V led to a change in focus to NEO observation. Jornada observatory is beginning an astrometry program focused on recovery and follow up of NEOs. Priority is the recovery of multiple and single opposi- tion NEOs which will exceed magnitude 21.0 but don’t exceed magnitude 19.0 during the opposition, and follow-up of newly discov- ered NEOs that are in the 19V to 21V bright- ness range and getting dimmer. The NEOs that are expected to become brighter than magnitude 19.0 during the op- position will be considered second priority targets since there is a reasonable expectancy Tim with Gene Shoemaker at Tim’s of recovery by the professional surveys dur- workshop in Georgia. ing their normal search work. The high QE and the low noise of the Apo- gee backlit cameras help David get an edge.

Jornada Observatory is supported with instrumentation provided by The Planetary Top: N7000, Tim Puckett and Adam Block using an Alta U9 and Takahashi 180 scope. Not many “amateurs” take on this level of Society Shoemaker NEO Grant Program of Below: Tim’s fi rst 160 supernovae discoveries. “home made” telescope. 2000. intro featured products aaltalta & aascentscent ccd selection case histories customers intro featured products aaltalta & aascentscent ccd selection case histories customers

CCCDCD SELECTIONSELECTION CCCDCD SELECTIONSELECTION

Alta Series cameras with a USB2 interface use a U prefi x, for example, U42. Alta Series cameras with an ethernet interface use an E prefi x, for example, E42. All Alta models are available with either interface except the U16, U16M, and U9000 (USB2 only). Ascent CCCDCD SSIZESIZES QQUANTUMUANTUM EEFFICIENCYFFICIENCY models use an A prefi x, except the EM247. In addition to the following CCDs, the Ascent supports a variety of spectroscopic format back-illuminated CCDs not listed in this chart. BBACKACK IILLUMINATEDLLUMINATED The QE curves below give general representations of the relative differences between the BBACK-ILLUMINATEDACK-ILLUMINATED CCCDsCDs various types of CCDs. For additional detail, please see the data sheets for each camera For nearly 30 years, back-illuminated CCDs have represented the ultimate in high performance astronomical imaging. The highest model at www.ccd.com. QE of back-illuminated CCDs depends on the coating (midband, U30 / E30 sensitivity available means shorter exposures and better signal-to-noise. (Monochrome only) U42 broadband, UV-enhanced). There are also variations in front-illuminated CCDs: all E42 polysilicon gates; Blue Plus (polysilicon and indium tin oxide gates); microlenses; anti- Array size (mm) Camera Total Pixel Size Imaging Area Diagonal blooming. See individual camera data sheets for details regarding each sensor. Model E2V CCD Array Size Pixels (microns) XY (mm2) (mm) U47 E47 U77 U42 CCD42-40 2048 2048 4194304 13.5 27.6 27.6 764 39.1 E2V UV-sensitive CCDs E77 EE2V:2V: BBACK-ILLUMINATEDACK-ILLUMINATED & OOPENPEN EELECTRODELECTRODE CCCDsCDs U47 CCD47-10 1024 1024 1048576 13 13.3 13.3 177 18.8 100 U77 CCD77-00 512 512 262144 24 12.3 12.3 151 17.4 Apogee also offers a variety of spectroscopic 90 U30 CCD30-11 1024 256 262144 26 26.6 6.7 177 27.4 format back-illuminateed CCDs. FFRONTRONT IILLUMINATEDLLUMINATED 80 FFRONT-ILLUMINATEDRONT-ILLUMINATED CCCDsCDs 70 U16 Camera Total Pixel Size Array size (mm) Imaging Area Diagonal Mono=M U6 U16M E6 60 Model Kodak CCD* Array Size Pixels (microns) XY (mm2) (mm) Color=C U9000 U16 KAF-16801E 4096 4096 16777216 9 36.9 36.9 1359.0 52.1 M 50

U16M KAF-16803 4096 4096 16777216 9 36.9 36.9 1359.0 52.1 M Absolute QE 40

A105 KAF-10500CE 3916 2624 10275584 6.8 26.6 17.8 475 32 C 30 U9000 KAF-09000 3058 3058 9351364 12 36.7 36.7 1346.6 51.9 M U13 E13 20 A8300 KAF-8300CE 3448 2574 8875152 5.4 18.6 13.9 259 23.2 M,C 10 U9, A9 KAF-6303E 3072 2048 6291456 9 27.6 18.4 509.6 33.2 M U10 U10 TH7899* 2048 2048 4194304 14 28.7 28.7 822.1 40.6 M E10 0 0 U9 200 240 280 320 360 400 440 480 520 560 600 640 680 720 760 800 840 880 920 960 U32, A32 KAF-3200 2184 1472 3214848 6.8 14.9 10.0 148.7 17.9 M 100 E9 Wavelength U2, A2 KAF-1603ME 1536 1024 1572864 9 13.8 9.2 127.4 16.6 M A9 Midband BI OE UV Enhanced Broadband U13 KAF-1301E 1280 1024 1310720 16 20.5 16.4 335.5 26.2 M FFRONT-ILLUMINATEDRONT-ILLUMINATED CCCDsCDs U6 KAF-1001E 1024 1024 1048576 24 24.6 24.6 604.0 34.8 M A105 A8300 100 U1, A1 KAF-0402ME 768 512 393216 9 6.9 4.6 31.9 8.3 M 90 U260, A260 KAF-0261E 512 512 262144 20 10.2 10.2 104.9 14.5 M 80 *The U10 uses an E2V (formerly Atmel, formerly Thomson) TH7899 CCD. U32 U2 U260 U1 70 IINTERLINENTERLINE TTRANSFERRANSFER CCCDsCDs E32 E2 E260 E1 Camera Total Pixel Size Array size (mm) Imaging Area Diagonal Mono=M A32 A2 A260 A1 60 Model* Kodak CCD Array Size Pixels (microns) XY (mm2) (mm) Color=C 50 A16000 KAI-16000 4872 3248 15824256 7.4 36 24 866.5 43.3 M,C IINTERLINESNTERLINES 40 A11000 KAI-11002 4008 2672 10709376 9 36 24 867.5 43.3 M,C U4000 U4000, A4000 KAI-4021 2048 2048 4194304 7.4 15.2 15.2 229.7 21.4 M,C A16000 E4000 (%) QE Absolute 30 A11000 U2000, A2000 KAI-2021 1600 1200 1920000 7.4 11.8 8.9 105.1 14.8 M,C A4000 20 A340 KAI-0340 648 484 313632 7.4 4.8 3.6 17.2 5.99 M,C U2000 10 EEMMCCCDsCDs E2000 0 A2000 EM247 TI TC247 658 496 326368 10 6.6 5.0 32.6 8.24 M,C EEMCCDMCCD 400 440 480 520 560 600 640 680 720 760 800 840 880 920 960 EM247 A340 1000 Wavelength (nm) A complete set of camera data sheets as well as CCAMERAAMERA DDATAATA SSHEETSHEETS mechanical drawings are on our Integration Starter Kit CD, or at www.ccd.com www.ccd.com Back-illuminated Kodak Blue Plus Microlensed KAI-11002 intro featured products alta & ascent ccd selection case histories customers intro featured products alta & ascent ccd selection case histories customers

CCCDCD SELECTIONSELECTION

CDs come in many shapes and sizes, as PPIXELIXEL SSIZEIZE CCOLOROLOR CCCDSCDS IINTERLINENTERLINE TTRANSFERRANSFER CCCDsCDs CCCDCD GGRADESRADES KKODAKODAK BBLUELUE PLUSPLUS CCDsCCDs Cwell as several different architectures. Some architectures were developed Normally larger pixels have higher full well Color CCDs are convenient for one-shot Interline transfer CCDs, up to the scale of Each manufacturer’s specifi cation sheet for CCDs create charge due to the photoelectric specifi cally to address the needs of extremely capacities than smaller ones. Higher full well color, but they compromise in several ways. 35mm fi lm, have inherent anti-blooming, an imager defi nes the cosmetic grades for effect. In order to create an image rather low light applications like astronomy (back- capacities increase the potential maximum First, the typical red-green-blue (RGB) Bayer but less dynamic range and lower quantum that specifi c imager. Different manufacturers than random electricity, the charge must be illuminated CCDs). Other technologies signal. If readout noise is kept low, higher pattern over the pixels of the CCD (see effi ciency than Kodak’s other front- use different procedures; a grade 1 of Imager held where it was created. “Traditional” can be adapted to astronomy with excellent signal means a higher signal-to-noise ratio below) cannot be changed--you cannot do illuminated offerings. Interlines also have A may allow column defects, but a grade 2 CCDs using from one to four polysilicon results, but a bit more patience and diligence (SNR), which is what allows us to see faint monochromatic imaging one day, RGB the high dark current in the storage diodes, as (lower grade) of Imager B may not. Kodak gates carry a voltage that traps the charge may be necessary (interline transfer CCDs). detail and what makes great photographs next, and cyan-magenta-yellow (CMY) on well as some leakage through the storage usually grades their CCDs at about 25°C, until transferred. Polysilicon has limited Here are some ideas to keep in mind: great. High SNR pulls those faint, wispy the third. Second, color CCDs cannot deliver diode masks. Mass markets for interline and most of their defects disappear in cooled transmissivity. Indium tin oxide (ITO) gates arms out of a spiral galaxy without making the full resolution of the imager. They can, CCDs mean much lower prices per pixel, cameras when the images are fl at-fi elded. In have higher transmissivity, but lower charge the center into a burned white blob. High however, deliver all three color channels at and a great entry point into professional level most cases, you cannot see the difference transfer effi ciency. Kodak’s combination QQUANTUMUANTUM EEFFICIENCYFFICIENCY SNR can also detect very small changes on exactly the same instant in time. imaging. between the grades. Other companies, of one polysilicon gate and one ITO gate top of a deep background, i.e. the stuff that Because interline CCDs shutter the such as E2V, grade their CCDs at low is marketed as Blue Plus (because of the Higher sensitivity = higher quantum makes discoveries. Get the largest pixel that exposure by shifting the charge from the temperatures, so their defects are less likely increase in blue sensitivity). The overall effi ciency = shorter exposures to get the matches your optics. photodiode section of the pixel to the storage to disappear when the CCD is cooled. sensitivity of Blue Plus CCDs is much higher same results. Shorter exposures = more time diode of the pixel, exposure times can be as Defects on CCDs do not grow over time, than multi-phase front-illuminated CCDs for other exposures and less frustration with MMATCHINGATCHING PPIXELIXEL SIZESIZE TTOO short as a few microseconds. Time between nor do lower grade CCDs wear out faster. using only polysilicon gates. However, guiding and tracking. The peak value of a exposures is determined by the time required Most lower grade Kodak CCDs no longer when researching point sources of light, it is quantum effi iciency curve does not tell the FFOCALOCAL LLENGTHENGTH to read out the entire CCD, which varies from allow column defects. These lower priced good to keep in mind that there is a marked full story of a CCD’s sensitivity. The area The focal length of a telescope is the product camera to camera. CCDs are excellent bargains. increase in quantum effi iency on the ITO side under the curve gives the true comparison of of the aperture and the f/ ratio. A 12” f/10 Typical RGB Bayer fi lter pattern designed to Interline transfer CCDs cannot do time- You may get an unwanted surprise if you of each pixel. (See MICROLENSES below). a CCD’s relative sensitivity. Twice the area has a focal length of 120”. Divide that focal mimic the responsivity of the human eye. delayed integration (also known as “drift do not check the data sheets for each CCD under the curve = half the time making the length by 8 to fi nd the approximate size of scan” mode) because charge is not transferred carefully before purchasing a system. Some exposure. Or, use the same exposure time, 1 arcsecond of sky on the CCD, in microns from photodiode to photodiode, but rather large format CCDs allow several column but get twice the signal. Apogee supports For example, if your focal length is 120”, into the masked storage diode. defects in the “standard grade” CCD, MMICROLENSEDICROLENSED CCCDsCDs back-illuminated, front-illuminated, and then one arcsecond of sky covers 120/8 Many CCDs now use microlenses over interline transfer devices. Back-illuminated = 15 microns on the CCD. You need to DDARKARK CCURRENTURRENT each pixel. In the case of interline transfer CCDs have the highest overall sensitivity. oversample the sky by at least a factor of 2. If AANTI-BLOOMINGNTI-BLOOMING Thermally generated signal, or dark current, CCDs, the microlenses focus the light onto However, they are subject to etaloning your skies have urban/suburban seeing (3-4 Anti-blooming (AB) bleeds off excess charge is not noise. The shot noise component of the the photodiode. In the case of Blue Plus (see below) in the near-infrared. Front- arcseconds), then you need to sample at 1.5 from individual pixels so that it does not spill dark current is one element of noise, which CCDs (see above), the microlenses focus illuminated CCDs are much less expensive to 2 arcseconds. Again using the 120” focal over into its neighbors and cause a white is the square root of the dark current. You the light onto the ITO gate side of the pixel. than back-illuminated CCDs. Make your length as an example, the “ideal” pixel size stripe down the column. For applications like can correct for the dark current itself if you Microlenses greatly improve overall quantum own choices regarding the Biggest Bang for for a 4 arcsecond sky would be 2 arcseconds, astrophotography, AB preserves the aesthetics can measure it, which requires the camera’s effi ciency, but introduce some angular the Buck. or 30 microns on the CCD. Smaller pixels Quantum effi ciency of the Kodak KAI-16000 of the image. For photometric applications, cooling to be programmable and stable. The dependency. Fill factor is normally less than would not add resolution to your murky sky, CCD: black line is monomchrome version; AB can be used if exposure times are deeper the cooling, the less correction you’re 100%. See data sheets for individual CCDs but they would give up dynamic range and RGB lines are the color version. carefully controlled to avoid excess charge. UUVV & NNIRIR WWAVELENGTHSAVELENGTHS going to have to do. for details. lower the signal-to-noise ratio. In a clear 2 The disadvantages of AB: normally it lowers Between 200-300 nm: E2V Back-illuminated arcsecond sky, the same scope calls for a DDYNAMICYNAMIC RRANGEANGE full well capacity and quantum effi ciency. UV enhanced CCDs 15 micron pixel. Small pixel CCDs can be EE2V2V CCCDs:CDs: AAIMOIMO & NNIMOIMO Interline transfer CCDs have, at most, a Between 300-400 nm: most Kodak CCDs binned 2x2 or 3x3 to match changing sky E2V’s AIMO (Advanced I Metal Oxide, aka full well capacity of about 50K electrons. If SSPECSMANSHIPPECSMANSHIP have zero QE at 300 nm, increasing linearly conditions, but binned small pixels normally MPP) CCDs have hundreds of times less the electronics limits the read noise to 8-10 to >40% at 400 nm. do not match the full well capacity of a dark current than non-IMO (NIMO) CCDs. CCD manufacturers as well as camera electrons, this is a dynamic range of 50K/10 Near Infrared: Back-illuminated CCDs have comparable large pixel. Some variations of their CCDs, such as deep manufacturers both describe their products = 5000:1, or about 12.3 bits. Most argue for the highest QE, but they are also subject to depletion devices with high QE in the near in terms of typical performance, and in some oversampling by an extra bit, or some argue etaloning (also known as “fringing”) with IR, are only available as NIMO devices. cases, specify worst acceptable performance. even two. However, a 16-bit analog-to- monochromatic NIR. Simply put, the light A CCD data sheet may, for example, say digital (AtoD) converter does not upgrade a bounces around inside the CCD itself. Some “typical 15 electrons noise” and “maximum 12 bit imager into a 16 bit imager. A Kodak companies have developed proprietary 20 electrons noise” (under very specifi c KAF-1001E (Alta U6 camera), using the versions of CCDs that minimize, though and perhaps irrelevant conditions). As a low noise (also called “high gain”) output not eliminate, the effect by changing the result, camera manufacturers using such a amplifi er, can be operated at 6 electrons thickness of the CCD itself. CCD must also use “typical performance”, noise with a full well of 200K electrons, or a or sort CCDs at a potentially large increase dynamic range of more than 30K:1, about 15 in cost. The difference between typical and bits. guaranteed is sometimes large, such as a factor of two in dark current.

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