Charge-coupled devices for the ESA Euclid M-class Mission

Abstract

The European Space Agency has funded e2v's development of an image sensor for the visible instrument in the Euclid space telescope. Euclid has been selected for a medium class mission launch opportunity in 2020. The project aims to map the dark universe with two complementary methods; a galaxy red-shift survey and weak gravitational lensing using near infrared and visible instruments. The baseline for the visible instrument was to be the CCD203-82, which has been successfully flown on NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory. However, to optimise the device for Euclid, e2v have designed and manufactured the CCD273-84. This device has a higher-responsivity lower-noise amplifier, enhanced red response, parallel charge injection structures and narrower registers which improve low signal charge transfer efficiency. Development models for Euclid have been manufactured with a thinner gate dielectric than standard for improved tolerance to ionising radiation. This paper describes the imager sensor in detail and focuses on the novel aspects of the device, package and interface.

Mitigating radiation-induced charge transfer inefficiency in full-frame CCD applications by 'pumping' traps

“…VIS comprises an array of thirty six CCD273s manufactured by e2v technologies, with a broad red bandpass (550 nm to 900 nm) and arranged in a 6x6 matrix on the front of the focal plane array [2][3] [4]. The impact on charge transfer efficiency (CTE) due to proton irradiation on the CCD273 and similar e2v devices (CCD204) has been subject to detailed investigations [5] [6] and has concluded that under normal operating conditions, the CCD273 satisfies mission requirements within the tolerances placed on the specification.…”

Postirradiation behavior of p-channel charge-coupled devices irradiated at 153 K

“…It is a 4k × 1k device with 12 m square pixels, utilising a split register with two output nodes each of which can be operated using an amplifier responsivity of 4.5 µV/h + or 1.5 µV/h + . It is based on the same architecture used in the CCD203, previously flown on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory launched in 2010 18 , but with the inclusion of a charge injection structure. Both p-channel 7,19 and n-channel 20 variants have been produced.…”

“…The study described in this paper is being performed as part of a European Space Agency (ESA) funded investigation into the performance benefits provided through the use of a p-channel rather than an n-channel CCD 18 . The study used seven e2v technologies p-channel CCD204 5 devices fabricated with exactly the same process as standard n-channel CCDs but with simple reversal of dopant polarities, the gate dielectric is the same in both cases.…”

Intrapixel measurement techniques on large focal plane arrays for astronomical applications: a comparative study

“…Niemi et al [11] measured, with uncertainties of 3s, the PRF of one version of the CCD-273 using the spot projection. The CCD-273 is the device that will populate the visible channel of the Euclid payload [12]. Niemi et al estimated the CCD PRF by fitting the data to a model using a Bayesian approach.…”