Smart readout of nondestructive image sensors with single-photon sensitivity
arXiv:2111.09905 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.127.241101
Abstract
Image sensors with nondestructive charge readout provide single-photon or single-electron sensitivity, but at the cost of long readout times. We present a smart readout technique to allow the use of these sensors in visible-light and other applications that require faster readout times. The method optimizes the readout noise and time by changing the number of times pixels are read out either statically, by defining an arbitrary number of regions of interest (ROI) in the array, or dynamically, depending on the charge or energy of interest (EOI) in the pixel. This technique is tested in a Skipper CCD showing that it is possible to obtain deep sub-electron noise, and therefore, high resolution of quantized charge, while dynamically changing the readout noise of the sensor. These faster, low noise readout techniques show that the skipper CCD is a competitive technology even where other technologies such as Electron Multiplier Charge Coupled Devices (EMCCD), silicon photo multipliers, etc. are currently used. This technique could allow skipper CCDs to benefit new astronomical instruments, quantum imaging, exoplanet search and study, and quantum metrology.
References in corpus (5)
- Experimental realization of sub-shot-noise quantum imaging
- Single-electron and single-photon sensitivity with a silicon Skipper CCD
- Realisation of the first sub shot noise wide field microscope
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Cited by in corpus (4)
- Achieving Single-Electron Sensitivity at Enhanced Speed in Fully-Depleted CCDs with Double-Gate MOSFETs
- Sixteen Multiple-Amplifier Sensing Charge-Coupled Devices and Characterization Techniques Targeting the Next Generation of Astronomical Instruments
- Cherenkov Photon Background for Low-Noise Silicon Detectors in Space
- Characterization of the Cherenkov Photon Background for Low-Noise Silicon Detectors in Space