The Imaging Technology Laboratory has formed a Detector Characterization Program as a service to the scientific and industrial imaging community.  We perform a wide range of detector tests for a nominal fee.  Our goal is to provide rapid feedback of device performance using well proven and calibrated techniques.

Our present services are listed below with more to come.  Please email special requests (mlesser@as.arizona.edu).  Combinations of these tests as well as characterization at various temperatures are possible.

Standard Cold Imaging Test

• Charge Transfer Efficiency at 1620 electrons (Fe-55)
• Readout noise
• Amplifier gain
• Photo Response Non Uniformity at 400, 600, and 900 nm
• Dark current

Quantum Efficiency Tests

• QE at room temperature in diode mode (200 - 300 and 300 - 1100 nm)
• QE at reduced temperature in diode mode (300 - 1100 nm)
• QE in imaging mode (300 - 1100 nm)

Misc

• Fees
• Diode QE Measurement Procedure

All the testing is automated and script driven, requiring no operator intervention once the device is set up.  We have developed

an automated system using LabView programming for measuring the quantum efficiency (QE) of devices.  Other tests include read noise (down to 1.0 electrons), gain, full well capacity, linearity, photoresponse non-uniformity, dark current and dark-current non-uniformity, and charge transfer efficiency (CTE).  Above, the standard device characterization setup is shown, including integrating sphere on the far left.  A CCD sits in its dewar at right.  All tests can be performed at any wavelength from 200 nm to 1200 nm.

Lab Director Michael Lesser happily preparing a device to be loaded into a dewar (foreground) for testing.  Lab coats are worn for ESD protection of all devices.  The detectors are installed and removed from dewars in a laminar air flow for cleanliness.

Is it the ghost of CCDs past?  No, sorry.  A beam of light streaming through vertical blinds made for an interesting sight while filling this dewar with liquid nitrogen (LN₂).  The LN₂ line has a vent near the nozzle.  While the dewar is filling, gaseous nitrogen shoots out of the vent, reflecting the light.