Large-Area Back-Illuminated CCD Imager Development

We describe recent work in the area of large, back-illuminated CCD imagers at M.I.T. Lincoln Laboratory as well as new technology applicable to astronomy. We completed in 1995 the development of a 2560 x 1960-pixel frame-transfer imager that filled a 100-mm wafer and several back-illuminated versions of this device were completed. More recently we have begun the development, in collaboration with the U. of Hawaii, of a three-side abuttable 2k x 4k CCD for a multi-chip focal plane. In the unused chord area of the wafer layout, we added test imagers as development vehicles for blooming control and for the demonstration of a CCD that is capable of charge transfer in all four directions. We expect the latter to find application as an electronic means of performing tip-tilt correction to compensate for atmospheric turbulence.