HIGH-PERFORMANCE CHARGE-COUPLED-DEVICE IMAGER TECHNOLOGY FOR PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS

High-sensitivity, low-noise, and high-frame-rate charge-coupled-device s (CCD) and camera system electronics have been developed for imaging applications in the visible and near infrared spectra. Back-illuminate d CCD imagers are used in the camera system for sensitive signal detec tion. A fabrication technology using a refractory process, has been de veloped for CCD back-illumination that has quantum efficiencies as hig h as 90% from 500 to 700 nm and 50% from 200 to 400 nm. The CCD imager s use multiple output ports, with single-port pixel rates up to 5 MHz, for low-noise operation at high frame rates. An electronic shutter ha s been integrated into the pixel structure that has switching times of approximately 50 ns and an extinction ratio value of 10(4) (signal de tected shutter opened to shutter closed) at wavelengths below 540 nm. A flexible electronic board set, providing various operating modes, ha s been designed to run the CCD at high frame rates while maintaining t he detection sensitivity of the imager. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.