New Developments in CCD Technology for the UV-EUV Spectral Range

Abstract

Lately, Charge Coupled Device (CCD) detectors have had great advances both in the visible and in the X-ray spectral range. However, the technology applied to these devices in the ultraviolet (UV) spectral region has not developed as well, because of some problems connected with the interaction between UV radiation and the materials typically used in semiconductor technology. In our laboratory the ultraviolet response of some UV-enhanced CCDs has been investigated. In particular, the quantum efficiency of coronene and lumigen coated and of back-illuminated ion implanted CCDs have been measured in the 304–11000 A spectral range. Very interesting results have been found, mainly for a one ion implanted CCD with quantum efficiency values of more than 60% at 304 A. Some measurements of the response uniformity of this spectral region have also been made. The results obtained encourage the possible use of these detectors in ultraviolet astronomy with very good performance.