Simulation of the charge transfer inefficiency of column parallel CCDs

Abstract

Charge-Coupled Devices (CCDs) have been successfully used in several high-energy physics experiments over the past two decades. Their high spatial resolution and thin sensitive layer make them an excellent tool for studying short-lived particles. The Linear Collider Flavour Identification (LCFI) collaboration is developing Column Parallel CCDs (CPCCDs) for the vertex detector of the International Linear Collider (ILC). The CPCCDs can be read out many times faster than standard CCDs, significantly increasing their operating speed. The results of detailed simulations of the Charge Transfer Inefficiency (CTI) of a prototype CPCCD chip are reported. The effects of the radiation damage on the CTI of a Si-based CCD particle detector are studied by simulating the effects of two electron trap levels Ec-0.17 and Ec-0.44 eV at different concentrations and operating temperatures. The dependence of the CTI on different occupancy levels (percentage of hit pixels) and readout frequencies is also studied. The optimal operating temperature—where the effects of the trapping are at a minimum—is found to be ∼230 K for the range of readout speeds proposed for the ILC.