The x-ray performance of high resistivity (high-rho) scientific CCDs

Murray, Neil J.; Holland, Andrew D.; Burt, David; Pool, P.; Jorden, Paul; Mistry, Pritesh

doi:10.1117/12.795455

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Although high resistivity devices allow deeper (or full) depletion, thus minimising the fieldfree region and reducing the spreading to provide a higher proportion of single pixel events [7], if one wishes to improve the FWHM of the PSF beyond the limit of the pixel dimensions, the spreading of the charge can be used as an advantage. With the charge spread across multiple pixels, centroiding algorithms can be used to improve the spatial resolution to the sub-pixel level.…”

Section: The Super Advanced X-ray Spectrometermentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving the resolution in soft X-ray emission spectrometers through photon-counting using an Electron Multiplying CCD

Hall¹,

Soman²,

Tutt³

et al. 2012

J. Inst.

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In 2007, a study of back-illuminated Charge-Coupled Devices (CCDs) for soft Xray photon detection demonstrated the improvements that could be brought over more traditional micro-channel plate detectors for X-ray spectrometers based on diffraction gratings and position sensitive detectors. Whilst the spatial resolution was reported to be improved dramatically, an intrinsic limit of approximately 25 micrometers was found due to the spreading of the charge cloud generated in the CCD across several pixels. To overcome this resolution limit, it is necessary to move away from the current integrated imaging methods and consider a photon-counting approach, recording the photon interaction locations to the sub-pixel level.To make use of photon-counting techniques it is important that the individual events are separable. To maintain the throughput of the spectrometer for high intensity lines, higher frame rates and therefore higher readout speeds are required. With CCD based systems, the increased noise at high readout speeds can limit the photon-counting performance.The Electron-Multiplying CCD shares a similar architecture with the standard CCD but incorporates a "gain register". This novel addition allows controllable gain to be applied to the signal before the read noise is introduced, therefore allowing individual events to be resolved above the noise even at much higher readout rates.In the past, the EM-CCD has only been available with imaging areas too small to be practical in soft X-ray emission spectrometers. The current drive for large area Electron-Multiplying CCDs is opening this technology to new photon-counting applications, requiring in-depth analysis of the processes and techniques involved. Early results indicate that through the introduction of photoncounting techniques the resolution in such systems can be dramatically improved.

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Section: The Super Advanced X-ray Spectrometermentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving the resolution in soft X-ray emission spectrometers through photon-counting using an Electron Multiplying CCD

Hall¹,

Soman²,

Tutt³

et al. 2012

J. Inst.

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“…The depletion depth of epitaxial devices is constrained to the thickness of the epi-layer; bulk material can potentially allow wafer thick depletion (~600 µm). The increased bulk resistivity of the CCD247 and redesigned output circuit allows for an applied gate to substrate potential of up to 110 V, whilst maintaining a <5 e -system noise, giving a depletion depth of approximately 300 µm for 'un-thinned' devices [3].…”

Section: Elsevier Sciencementioning

confidence: 99%

The X-ray quantum efficiency measurement of high resistivity CCDs

Murray

Holland

Smith

et al. 2009

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A:

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The CCD247 is the second generation of high resistivity device to be manufactured in e2v technologies plc development programme. Intended for infrared astronomy, the latest devices are fabricated on high resistivity (~8 kΩ-cm) bulk silicon, allowing for a greater device thickness whilst maintaining full depletion when 'thinned' to a thickness of 150 µm. In the case of the front illuminated variant, depletion of up to 300 µm is achievable by applying a gate to substrate potential of up to 120 V, whilst retaining adequate spectral performance. The increased depletion depth of high resistivity CCDs greatly improves the quantum efficiency (QE) for incident X-ray photons of energies above 5 keV, making such a device beneficial in future Xray astronomy missions and other applications. Here we describe the experimental setup and present results of X-ray QE measurements taken in the energy range 2 keV to 20 keV for a front illuminated CCD247, showing QE in excess of 80% @ 10 keV. Results for the first generation CCD217 and swept-charge device (1,500 Ω-cm epitaxial silicon) are also presented.

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The x-ray performance of high resistivity (high-rho) scientific CCDs

Cited by 2 publications

References 6 publications

Improving the resolution in soft X-ray emission spectrometers through photon-counting using an Electron Multiplying CCD

Improving the resolution in soft X-ray emission spectrometers through photon-counting using an Electron Multiplying CCD

The X-ray quantum efficiency measurement of high resistivity CCDs

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