An Infrared Camera Based on a Large PtSi Array

Abstract

A large-format PtSi array (effectively 1k × 0.5k pixels) has been incorporated into an infrared camera intended for survey work using the 0.75-m telescope at Sutherland. The array is very uniform and almost free of cosmetic defects. The camera, its electronics and the operational procedures that we use are described, together with the methods of data reduction. The limiting magnitudes that can be observed in the JHK broad bands are given.

Highlights of IAU Symposium No. 167

“…At this meeting we had the opportunity to hear directly on the status of different projects ( A R C O N from C T I O , SDSU from San Diego, A C E from E S O and the controller for the Italian Galileo telescope) and to witness a lively discussion on the relative merits of transputers and DSP. Equally interesting developments for the control of infrared detectors were reported by Finger et al (1995) (ESO system IRACE) and Glass et al (1995) (The Rutherford-SAAO controller). As a user, my impression is that there is no unique technical solution to the problem of building a fast, flexible C C D controller and the present technology does provide all the necessary tools to do the job.…”

“…Just a few years ago it was possible to speak of two-D detectors for the UV-red wavelength range only. At this meeting we have witnessed presentations on array characteristics from the extreme U V (Bonanno 1995), through the blue-visual range (DOdorico 1995, Jorden and Oates 1995, Iwert 1995and Luppino et al 1995; the infrared 1 to 5 μπι window (McLean 1995, Finger et al 1995, Gilmore et al 1995, Fazio 1995, Glass et al 1995and Ueno et al 1995; the 10 -20 μπι window (Fazio 1995, Gezari 1995 and finally to an array of bolometers to operate at submillimeter wavelengths (Moseley 1995). Field imaging and spectroscopy are now possible across this entire energy spectrum and some of the first exciting astronomical results obtained with these devices have been presented here.…”