The CCD detector

Sami Dib and Jean Surdej

2006 online edition and modifications by Stefan

Hippler
Dont forget to read the notes pages of each
slide

1 Introduction
2 History of the CCD
3 How does a CCD work ?
4 Advantages of CCDs
5 The CCD as a 3 dimensional detector
6 Observations with a CCD

1 Introduction

It seems that Uranus was the

first celestial object to be
photographed by a CCD in
1975 by astronomers at the
JPL and University of
Arizona. This image has
been obtained by the 61
inch telescopes located at
Santa Catalina mountains
near Tucson (Arizona). It
has been made at the 8900
wavelength in the near
Infrared.
The dark region in the
image correspond to an
absorption region with some
Methane bands close to the
southern pole of Uranus.

2 History

Determining the brilliance distribution of an astronomical object (star, planet,

galaxy, a martian spacecraft ?) with the help of a CCD is pretty much similar to the
measurements of the quantity of infalling rain on a farm. As soon as the rain stops,
collecting buckets are displaced horizontally on conveyor belts. Then the water
content of the buckets is collected in other buckets on a vertical conveyor belt. The
overall content is sent onto a weighting system.

3 How does a CCD work ? (1)

Pixel

(a)

Output
register

(b)

To Output amplification
Electrodes Electrons
The way a CCD works is illustrated by means of a simplified CCD made of 9
pixels, an output register and an amplifier. Each pixel is divided in 3 regions
(electrodes who serve to create a potential well). (a) when an exposure is made,
the central electrode of each pixel is maintained at a higher potential (yellow)
than the others ( green) and the charges collecting process takes place. (b) At
the end of the exposure, the electrodes potentials are changed and charges
transferred from one electrode to the other.

3 How does a CCD work ? (2)

(a)

(b)

Impurity (doping)

By changing in a synchronized way the potential of the electrodes, electrons are

nsferred from pixel to pixel. Charges on the right are guided to the output register
The horizontal transfer of charges is then stopped and charge packages at the output
ister are transferred vertically, one by one, to an output amplifier and then read one
one. The cycle starts again until all the charges have been read (reading time of about
minute for a large CCD).

4 Advantages of CCDs (1)

1) Good spatial resolution
2) Very high quantum efficiency
3) Large spectral window
4) Very low noise
5) Large variations in the signal strength allowed (high
dynamic range)
6) High photometric precision
7) Very good linearity
8) A reliable rigidity

4 Advantages of CCDs (2)

Spatial Resolution

Mosaic of 4 CCDs, containing

each 2040 x 2048 pixels. This
composite detector is about 6 cm
large and contains a total of 16
millions pixels (Kitt Peak
National Observatory, Arizona).

4 Advantages of CCDs (3)

Quantum Efficiency

Quantum efficiency curves of different types of CCDs as a function of the wavelength

compared to the one of other detectors. We can see on this plot the large domain of
wavelengths for the spectral response of CCDs.

4 Advantages of CCDs (4)

Spectral
Range
FI: front
illuminated
BN: back
illuminated, no
coating
DD: deep
depletion CCD

4 Advantages of CCDs (5)

Linearity and Dynamic Range

Dynamic range = ratio between brightest and faintest detectable signal

CCDs are extremely linear detectors, i.e
the received signal increase linearly
with the exposure time. The CCD thus
enables the simultaneous detection
of very faint objects and bright objects.
In contrast photographic plates have a
very limited linear regime. First of all
there is a minimum exposure time
below which no image of the object
forms. At some higher degree of
exposure, the image gets quickly
saturated (S-shape gamma curve).
The dynamic range of CCDs
is about 100 times larger compared to
Film.

4 Advantages of CCDs (6)

Flatfields

(a)

(b)
flat field technique (see text below)

(c)

5 The CCD as a 3 dimensional detector

6 Observations with a CCD

As can be seen from this series of 4 exposures ( figures above + next page )
of 1, 10, 100 and 1000 sec, of the M100 galaxy, obtained with a 11 inches
Celestron telescope, the signal to noise ratio changes in a crucial way as a
function of the exposure time

6 Observations with a CCD (1)

Additionally to the improvement of the S/B ratio as a function of the exposure time,
we can also clearly see the change in the regime of the noise, mainly caused by
the readout noise of the CCD in the shorter exposure, and to the photons noise in
the sky for the longest exposure.

6 Observations with a CCD (2)

6.1 Subtraction of the bias

Processed image

Raw image ...

6 Observations with a CCD (3)

6.2 The darks (1)

Sn(t) = Rn0 2(T - T0) / T t.

(6.2.1)

6 Observations with a CCD (4)

6.2 The darks (2)

ST = N S et BT2 = (N B2),

(6.2.2)

ST / BT = (S / B) N .

(6.2.3)

S = Sa - ST et B = (Ba2 + BT2),

(6.2.4)

S / B = (Sa - ST) / (Ba2 + BT2).

(6.2.5)

6 Observations with a CCD (5)

6.3 The flat field technique
S = So / Sf,

(6.3.1)

(S/B) = 1 / [(Bo/So)2 + (Bf/Sf)2].

(6.3.2)

6 Observations with a CCD (6)

6.3 The flat field technique (1)

Raw image
(left) from
which we
substract the
Bias image
(right) ...
and the dark
image (below)
(see also next
page).

6 Observations with a CCD (7)

6.3 The flat field technique (2)

We then divide the obtained result by

the flat field image (above) and obtain
The final image (right).

6 Observations with a CCD (8)

6.4 Cosmic rays

The impact of
many cosmic
rays are visible
on this dark
image

6 Observations with a CCD (9)

6.5 Improving the Signal to Noise (S/B) ratio of

astronomical observations

B = B12 + B22 + B32 + ....

S = So + Sn + Sc,

(6.5.1)

(6.5.2)

B2 = Bo2 + Bn2 + y2 + Bc2,

(6.5.3)

S/B = (So + Sn + Sc) / Bo2 + Bn2 + y2 + Bc2.

(6.5.4)

6 Observations with a CCD (10)

1.6.5 Improving the S/B ratio of astronomical

observations
S/B = (So + Sn + Sc) / So + Sn + Sc + y2.
(6.5.5)
S/B = Co / 1 + Cc / Co + n y2 / Co. .
S/B = Co.

(6.5.6)

(6.5.7)

6 Observations with a CCD (11)

6.5 Improving the S/B ratio of astronomical
observations

S1 = Si = N Si, B1 = (Si) = (N Si), S1/B1 = (N Si)

(6.5.8)

S2 = N Si, B2 = S2, S2/B2 = (N Si).

(6.5.9)

Observations with a CCD (12)

1.6.5 Improving the S/B ratio of astronomical

observations

S1 = Si = N Si, B1 = ((Si + y2)) (N y2),

S1/B1 = (N Si)(Si /y)

(6.5.10)

S2 = N Si, B2 = S2, S2/B2 = (N Si).

(6.5.11)

S1/B1 = S2/B2 (Si / y) S2/B2.

(6.5.12)

6 Observations with a CCD (13)

6.6 Determination of the gain and the read out noise of a

CCD
g Nmax / 216.
(6.6.1)
B2 = So + Sn + Sc + y2,
B2ADU = SADU / g + BDL2.

(6.6.2)

(6.6.3)

6 Observations with a CCD (14)

6.6 Determination of the gain (and read out noise) of a

CCD with the photon-transfer method

Linear slope
=
CCD gain in
units of
e-/ADU

6 Observations with a CCD (15)

6.6 Determination of the gain and read out noise of a

CCD
(f1 / f2) / f1/f2 2 = 1 / (f1/f1)2 + (f2/f2)2 1 / 2(f/f)2,
(6.6.4)

f2 = (f2 / 2) (f1/f2)2.

(6.6.5)

6 Observations with a CCD (16)

CCD image of Arp 188 and the Tadpole's Tidal Tail

taken with Hubbles ACS camera.