Development of EBCCD Cameras for the Far Ultraviolet

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses development of electron-bombarded charge-coupled device (EBCCD) cameras for the far ultraviolet. Princeton University and the Naval Research Laboratory have ongoing programmes to develop imaging detectors with high quantum efficiency and photon-counting capability. The electron-bombarded CCD arrays were operated in Schmidt imaging systems with opaque KBr photocathodes. These were compared with a chevron micro channel plate detector (MCP) operated in pulse-counting mode, or a collecting electrode for direct photocurrent measurement, placed interchangeably at the Schmidt camera electron focus, with simultaneous light-source monitoring by calibrated photomultipliers. The EBCCD read-out electronics were operated in analogue read-out mode, with signal levels per pixel digitized and recorded on tape. A liquid nitrogen cooling system maintained the CCDs at –80oC or less during operations. Theoretically, the single-photoelectron responses of the two types of CCD differ in that in the thinned back surface bombarded CCD there is likely to be significant lateral spread of the generated secondary charge before collection at the front-side electrodes.