Charge-coupled Device Detector Research Articles

Research on angular displacement detection technology of inter-satellite laser communication based on coherent system

With the rapid development of spatial information networks technologies, inter-satellite laser communication links have played an important role in the satellite Internet. High-precision relative angular displacement detection is the foundation for achieving real-time tracking of laser communication links, and its accuracy directly impacts the tracking performance and communication quality of the laser communication link. Traditional laser communication systems utilize intensity-based position detection methods to calculate angular displacement, requiring setting separate Charge Coupled Device (CCD) or Four-quadrant Detector (QD) as well as independent optical tracking branches. This setup makes it difficult to integrate with high-speed coherent communication systems. Additionally, the method employing intensity detection to determine angular displacement based on spot position has lower accuracy in theory. A angular displacement detection of coherent-based inter-satellite laser communication is proposed in this paper. Firstly, real-time calculation of phase differences at different positions of the beam is achieved through heterodyne coherent array detection and dual high-precision phase-locked loops. Then, a model correlating wave front phase difference with relative angular displacement is established, phase noise during beam transmission and detection processes is analyzed, and algorithm for detecting angular displacement in coherent systems is studied. Finally, a laser communication link is constructed under laboratory condition, and experimental validation work is carried out. When the relative angle deviation is 1°, the phase difference changes by 0.089049795 rad, and the angular displacement detection error of 0.66697μrad(σ). When the relative angle error is 0.603873μrad(σ), the detection sensitivity is −43.93dBm. The experimental results show that in the coherent system, the relative angular displacement detection with high precision can be realized by using the wavefront phase difference of beam, which can support the laser communication tracking system to achieve higher precision beam tracking.

Pre-Launch Calibration of the Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) of Ultraviolet-Visible Hyperspectral Sensor Diffusers

An Ultraviolet-Visible Hyperspectral Sensors (UVS) instrument is an ultraviolet-visible imaging spectrograph equipped with two-dimensional charge-coupled device detectors. It records both the spectrum and the swath perpendicular to the flight direction, offering a wide 112° swath. This configuration enables global daily ground coverage with high spatial resolution. The absolute values of in-orbit solar irradiance can be evaluated using the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF), with the measurement accuracy directly affecting the accuracy of constituent inversion. This paper outlines the calibration process for the BRDF of the UVS, detailing the calibration methods and equipment used. It also proposes a BRDF model and discusses key coefficients. The accuracy levels of the UVS in the UV1, UV2, and VIS channels were 2.162%, 2.162%, and 2.173%, respectively.

Experimental Study on Damage Effect of Mid-Infrared Pulsed Laser on Charge Coupled Device (CCD) and HgCgTe Detectors.

As the weak link in electro-optical imaging systems, photodetectors have always faced the threat of laser damage. In this paper, we experimentally investigated the damage mechanism of the photodetector induced by the out-of-band laser. The damage thresholds of the mid-infrared pulsed laser for Charge Coupled Device (CCD) and HgCdTe detectors were determined through damage experiments. The analysis of the damage phenomena and data for both CCD and HgCdTe detectors clearly demonstrated that out-of-band mid-infrared pulsed lasers could entirely incapacitate CCD and HgCdTe detectors. Our analysis of the damage process and data revealed that the primary mechanism of damage to CCD and HgCdTe detectors by mid-infrared pulsed lasers was primarily thermal. This study serves as a reference for further research on the mid-infrared pulsed laser damage mechanisms of CCD and HgCdTe detectors, as well as for laser protection and performance optimization in imaging systems.

In-Situ Lithium Analysis In MgLi Alloys Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy with a Compact Chamber.

This study explores the feasibility of in situ Lithium (Li) analysis in Magnesium-Lithium (MgLi) alloys using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS). It focuses on two Li emission lines: Li I 670.8 nm (resonance) and Li I 610.4 nm (non-resonance). Comparing characteristics at atmospheric and low pressures, self-reversal signatures are observed in both emission lines at atmospheric pressure, complicating the analysis. Challenges in suppressing self-reversal effect using laser energy and detection window adjustments are noted. To address this, a compact chamber (80 mm×50 mm×50 mm) with adjustable pressure (using a portable vacuum pump) is developed. Lowering the pressure significantly reduces self-reversal effect, particularly for the Li I 610.4 nm line. This makes Li I 610.4 nm more suitable for analyzing high Lithium concentrations in MgLi alloys. Using standard samples, such as LA91 (8 % Li) and LA141 (14 % Li), the study successfully obtains Li I 610.4 nm spectra with proportional Li emission intensities. Even with a commercially affordable time-integrated charge-coupled device (CCD) detection system, the results indicate the efficacy of this approach for in situ Li analysis in MgLi alloys.

Broadband Cavity-Enhanced Absorption Spectroscopy (BBCEAS) Coupled with an Interferometer for On-Band and Off-Band Detection of Glyoxal.

Glyoxal (CHOCHO) is a trace gas in the atmosphere, often used as an indicator of biogenic emissions. It is frequently compared to formaldehyde concentrations, which serve as indicators of anthropogenic emissions, to gain insights into the characteristics of the environmental source. This study employed broadband cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy to detect gaseous CHOCHO, methylglyoxal, and NO2. Two different detection methods are compared. Spectrograph and CCD Detection: This approach involves coupling the system to a spectrograph with a charge-coupled device (CCD) detector. It achieved a 1 min 1-σ detection limit of 2.5 × 108 molecules/cm3, or 10 parts per trillion (ppt). Methylglyoxal and NO2 achieved 1 min 1-σ detection limits of 34 ppt and 22 ppt, respectively. Interferometer and PMT Detection: In this method, an interferometer is used in conjunction with a photomultiplier tube (PMT) detector. It resulted in a 2 min 1-σ detection limit of 1.5 × 1010 molecules/cm3, or 600 ppt. The NO2 2 min 1-σ detection limit was determined to be 900 ppt. Concentrations of methylglyoxal were difficult to determine using this method, as they appeared to be below the detection limit of the instrument. This study discusses the advantages and limitations of each of these detection methods.

Rapid Imaging Planetary Spectrograph

The Rapid Imaging Planetary Spectrograph (RIPS) was designed as a long-slit high-resolution spectrograph for the specific application of studying atmospheres of spatially extended solar system bodies. With heritage in terrestrial airglow instruments, RIPS uses an echelle grating and order-sorting filter to obtain optical spectra at resolving powers of up to R ∼ 127,000. An ultra-narrowband image from the reflective slit jaws is captured concurrently with each spectrum on the same electron-multiplying charge-coupled device detector. The “rapid” portion of RIPS’s moniker stems from its ability to capture high frame rate data streams, which enables the established technique known as “lucky imaging” to be extended to spatially resolved spectroscopy. Resonantly scattered emission lines of alkali metals, in particular, are sufficiently bright to be measured within short integration times. RIPS has mapped the distributions of Na and K emissions in Mercury’s tenuous exosphere, which exhibits dynamic behavior coupled with the planet’s plasma and meteoroid environment. An important application is daylight observation of Mercury with solar telescopes, as the synoptic context of the exosphere’s distribution comprises valuable ground-based support for the upcoming BepiColombo orbital mission. As a conventional long-slit spectrograph, RIPS has targeted the Moon’s surface-bound exosphere, where structures in line width and brightness are observed as a function of tangent altitude. At the Galilean moons, RIPS can study the plasma interaction with Io and place new constraints on the sputtered atmosphere of Europa, which in turn provides insight into the salinity of Europa’s subsurface ocean. The instrumental design and construction are described herein, and these astronomical observations are presented to illustrate the performance of RIPS as a visiting instrument at three different telescope facilities.

A new full-field XRF imaging station at Synchrotron Light Research Institute.

A full-field X-ray fluorescence imaging (FXI) station was recently developed at beamline BL8 of Synchrotron Light Research Institute (SLRI), Thailand. An unfocused, synchrotron X-ray beam from the bending magnet with a size of 2 mm (vertical) × 13 mm (horizontal) and photon energy of 10 keV was employed in the FXI experiments. A sample stage was tilted by 7.5° to enlarge the vertical beam size. X-ray fluorescence images were recorded by an energy-dispersive, 256 × 256 array, pn-type charge coupled device detector equipped with a polycapillary optics, providing a full-frame image size of 12.3 mm × 12.3 mm. The incident photon flux per pixel was 3 × 104 photons s-1 (100 mA)-1 and the experimental spatial resolution was 68 µm. Image processing was carried out offline using an in-house MATLAB program capable of elemental selection and inhomogeneity intensity correction. Elemental detection limits of FXI were found to decrease with increasing atomic number, i.e. 0.3 to 0.03 wt% for Z = 19 (K) to 30 (Zn). Compared with the BL6b microbeam imaging (µXI) station at SLRI with higher photon flux per pixel, 3 × 1010 photons s-1 (100 mA)-1, a tenfold sample area can be obtained and 13 times higher peak-to-background (PKB) ratio at Zn Kα measured with the same experimental time (8 h). Simultaneous measurement of FXI is more time-efficient against the long overhead times of µXI scanning over large pixel numbers, >65000. To demonstrate potential applications of the new FXI station, various types of samples were examined: dendritic limestone, ancient bronze and dried fish. Analyzed elemental images enabled us to identify areas rich in Mn on the limestone, Sn and Cu separation in the bronze, and Zn nutrition in the dried fish eye.

Imaging-Based Quantum Tomography of Orbital-Angular-Momentum-Multiplexed Continuous-Variable Entangled States

Multiplexing techniques combine multiple signals into one channel, in order to increase the channel capacity and speed. Here we propose a correlation-based imaging method to efficiently measure the quantum states of orbital-angular-momentum (OAM)-multiplexed Gaussian light. The covariance matrices for all OAM components of the multiplexed Gaussian light can be efficiently reconstructed by one homodyne measurement on each beam. We also show that the proposed scheme can be simplified and implemented with only two charge coupled device detectors.

A Green-Emitting Luminol Analogue as the Next-Generation Chemiluminescent Substrate in Biochemical Analysis.

Luminol and its derivatives are extensively used as chemiluminogenic substrates in bioimaging and biochemical analysis. Luminol reagents can typically emit blue chemiluminescence (CL), whose wavelength is normally outside the most sensitive detection range of human naked eyes and most CL analyzers with silicon-based charge-coupled device (CCD) detectors. Development of luminol analogues with longer wavelength emission is thus attractive. Herein, four new phthalhydrazide CL probes (GL-1/2/3/4) have been prepared through the derivatization of luminol. The most promising one, 5-(4-hydroxy-1,3-dioxoisoindolin-2-yl)-2,3-dihydrophthalazine-1,4-dione (GL-1), emits bright green CL upon oxidation and shows enhanced CL performance compared to its parent luminol. Bloodstain imaging, horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-based immunoassay, and the analysis of glucose/glucose oxidase reaction have been performed using the GL-1 reagent. These results indicate that GL-1 is a new chemiluminogenic luminol analogue with great potential in real analytical applications and will be an alternative to replace luminol in practical CL analysis.

High-efficiency narrow-band green-emitting Tb-doped fluorosilicate glass for X-ray detectors

High-efficiency scintillators for radiation detections are urgently desired in many fields such as nondestructive inspection, medical imaging, and space exploration. Nowadays, commercial scintillators still face challenges of costly and time-consuming fabrication techniques and restricted size. Here, we present a high-efficient narrow-band green-emitting Tb3+-doped fluorosilicate (SF) glass scintillator with manufacturing of large size and low cost. Its emission (530–565 nm, ∼58% photons of total) highly superimposes with the peak sensitivity wavelength (∼550 nm) of silicon photomultipliers or charge-coupled device detectors. Moreover, owing to the particularly designed glass matrix, the photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield (QY) reaches up to 83%, which is high compared with other reported Tb3+-doped scintillators. The high PLQY combined with negligible self-absorption (400–800 nm) enables the high scintillation relative integral area (171% relative to commercial Bi4Ge3O12 single crystal). Therefore, the Tb3+-doped SF glass will be one of the promising alternatives for scintillator-based indirect-type X-ray detectors.

Characterization of a deep-depletion 4K × 4K charge-coupled device detector system designed for ARIES Devasthal faint object spectrograph

We present the characterization of the charge-coupled device (CCD) system developed for the ARIES Devasthal faint object spectrograph (ADFOSC) instrument on the 3.6 m Devasthal optical telescope (DOT). We describe various experiments performed to tune the CCD controller parameters to obtain optimum performance in single and four-port readout modes. Different methodologies employed for characterizing the performance parameters of the CCD, including bias stability, noise, defects, linearity, and gain, are described here. The CCD has grade-0 characteristics at temperatures close to its nominal operating temperature of −120 ° C. The overall system is linear with a regression coefficient of 0.9999, readout noise of six electrons, and a gain value close to unity. We demonstrate a method to calculate the dark signal using the gradient in the bias frames at lower temperatures. Using the optimized setting, we verify the performance of the CCD detector system on-sky using the ADFOSC instrument mounted on the 3.6 m DOT. Some science targets were observed to evaluate the detector’s performance in both imaging and spectroscopic modes.

Assessing the capabilities of 2D fluorescence monitoring in microtiter plates with data-driven modeling for secondary substrate limitation experiments of Hansenula polymorpha

BackgroundNon-invasive online fluorescence monitoring in high-throughput microbioreactors is a well-established method to accelerate early-stage bioprocess development. Recently, single-wavelength fluorescence monitoring in microtiter plates was extended to measurements of highly resolved 2D fluorescence spectra, by introducing charge-coupled device (CCD) detectors. Although introductory experiments demonstrated a high potential of the new monitoring technology, an assessment of the capabilities and limits for practical applications is yet to be provided.ResultsIn this study, three experimental sets introducing secondary substrate limitations of magnesium, potassium, and phosphate to cultivations of a GFP-expressing H. polymorpha strain were conducted. This increased the complexity of the spectral dynamics, which were determined by 2D fluorescence measurements. The metabolic responses upon growth limiting conditions were assessed by monitoring of the oxygen transfer rate and extensive offline sampling. Using only the spectral data, subsequently, partial least-square (PLS) regression models for the key parameters of glycerol, cell dry weight, and pH value were generated. For model calibration, spectral data of only two cultivation conditions were combined with sparse offline sampling data. Applying the models to spectral data of six cultures not used for calibration, resulted in an average relative root-mean-square error (RMSE) of prediction between 6.8 and 6.0%. Thus, while demanding only sparse offline data, the models allowed the estimation of biomass accumulation and glycerol consumption, even in the presence of more or less pronounced secondary substrate limitation.ConclusionFor the secondary substrate limitation experiments of this study, the generation of data-driven models allowed a considerable reduction in sampling efforts while also providing process information for unsampled cultures. Therefore, the practical experiments of this study strongly affirm the previously claimed advantages of 2D fluorescence spectroscopy in microtiter plates.

Laser projection system for polymer transverse strain measurements in tensile testing

A self-built laser projection system for optical transverse strain measurements in tensile testing is presented. The setup based on laser diode modules, charge-coupled device array detectors, and standard optomechanical components is proposed to be a low-cost system for testing polymer samples. The optical setup is mobile and can easily be mounted on a tensile test machine. Circular cross-sectional changes in polymer diameter were detected with 10-μm resolution and stress-strain curves obtained by a tensile test machine. The article describes signal processing using the open-source programming language R, and the transverse deformation of the polymer sample is evaluated in two perpendicular planes. The results obtained by the optical system may be used to accurately describe the models of energy-based mechanical properties of polymers for complex load conditions.

Adaptive Optics Compensation for Orbital Angular Momentum Optical Wireless Communications

Adaptive optics (AO) can efficiently compensate for turbulence-induced distortion in orbital angular momentum (OAM)-based optical wireless communication (OWC) systems. In this paper, we design a modified phase diversity algorithm (MPDA)-based wavefront sensor to enhance the reconstruction accuracy of distorted OAM wavefront information. Aiming to further strike a compelling trade-off between AO system complexity and compensation accuracy, we first construct a novel AO system that applies a quickly and electronically controlled focus-tunable lens (FTL). It decontaminates distorted OAM signaling beams while having a low systemic complexity and superior convergence performance. Furthermore, we propose the 3-modified phase diversity algorithm (3-MPDA) AO scheme relying upon a Fourier intensity and two defocused intensities as the prior information, which beneficially balances the compensation effect and the number of defocused intensities and exhibits good noise robustness against charge-coupled device (CCD) detectors. In summary, this paper provides new insight for designing AO schemes with high compensation performance in communication links.

Absolute response of a proton detector composed of a microchannel plate assembly and a charge-coupled device to laser-accelerated multi-MeV protons.

The absolute response of a real-time proton detector, composed of a microchannel plate (MCP) assembly, an imaging lens, and a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera, is calibrated for the spectral characterization of laser-accelerated protons, using a Thomson parabola spectrometer (TPS). A slotted CR-39 plate was used as an absolute particle-counting detector in the TPS, simultaneously with the MCP-CCD detector to obtain a calibration factor (count/proton). In order to obtain the calibration factor as a function of proton energy for a wide range of proton numbers, the absolute response was investigated for different operation parameters of the MCP-CCD detector, such as MCP voltage, phosphor voltage, and CCD gain. A theoretical calculation for the net response of the MCP was in good agreement with the calibrated response of the MCP-CCD detector, and allows us to extend the response to higher proton energies. The response varies in two orders of magnitude, showing an exponential increase with the MCP voltage and almost linear increase with the phosphor voltage and the CCD gain. The calibrated detector enabled characterization of a proton energy spectrum in a wide dynamic range of proton numbers. Moreover, two MCP assemblies having different structures of MCP, phosphor screen, and optical output window have been calibrated, and the difference in the absolute response was highlighted. The highly-sensitive detector operated with maximum values of the parameters enables measuring a single proton particle and evaluating an absolute spectrum at high proton energies in a single laser shot. The absolute calibrations can be applied for the spectral measurement of protons using different operating voltages and gains for optimized response in a large range of proton energy and number.

Removal of straylight from ExoMars NOMAD-UVIS observations

We present an in-flight straylight removal method for the Ultraviolet and Visible Spectrometer (UVIS) channel of the Nadir and Occultation for Mars Discovery (NOMAD) instrument aboard the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO). The presence of a ‘red-leak’ straylight signal in the UVIS instrument was discovered post-launch in ground calibration measurements of spectral lamps; UVIS observations of lamps with negligible UV light emission (RS12) showed a significant signal at UV wavelengths. Subsequent analyses of nadir observations of the martian atmosphere revealed that at UV wavelengths the red-leak straylight was in excess of 300% of the true UV signal, jeopardising the primary science observations of the instrument (retrievals of atmospheric ozone). By modifying the UVIS readout method to obtain a region of interest around the illuminated region on the Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) detector, instead of a binned one-dimensional spectrum, and utilising straylight profiles derived from measurements of the RS12 calibration lamp we show that the majority of the straylight at UV wavelengths can be successfully removed for the nadir channel in a self-consistent manner. The corrected UVIS radiances are compared to coincident Mars Color Imager (MARCI) instrument observations with residuals between the two instruments generally remaining within 15%. • Retaining the full CCD array can be a powerful tool for the removal of straylight. • Essential to measure straylight profiles using different light sources and filters. • Accurate removal of straylight and recovery of measured ultraviolet radiances.

Detailed characterization of polycapillary focusing x-ray lenses by a charge-coupled device detector and a pinhole

A method to measure the detailed performance of polycapillary x-ray optics by a pinhole and charge coupled device (CCD) detector was proposed in this study. The pinhole was located between the x-ray source and the polycapillary x-ray optics to determine the illuminating region of the incident x-ray beam on the input side of the optics. The CCD detector placed downstream of the polycapillary x-ray optics ensured that the incident x-ray beam controlled by the pinhole irradiated a specific region of the input surface of the optics. The intensity of the output beam of the polycapillary x-ray optics was obtained from the far-field image of the output beam of the optics captured by CCD detector. As an application example, the focal spot size, gain in power density, transmission efficiency, and beam divergence of different parts of a polycapillary focusing x-ray lenses (PFXRL) were measured by a pinhole and CCD detector. Three pinholes with diameters of 500, 1000, and 2000 μm were used to adjust the diameter of the incident x-ray beam illuminating the PFXRL from 500 μm to the entire surface of the input side of the PFXRL. The focal spot size of the PFXRL, gain in power density, transmission efficiency, and beam divergence ranged from 27.1 μm to 34.6 μm, 400 to 3460, 26.70% to 5.38%, and 16.8 mrad to 84.86 mrad, respectively.

Calibration of image plate and back illuminated charge coupled device detectors at the thermal emission band of high Z target laser produced plasmas (80–800 eV)

We present a systematic method to absolutely calibrate detector efficiency vs photon energy using a laser produced plasma broadband x-ray source, a gold standard calibrated detector, and transmission gratings (TGs) as dispersive elements. Calibration uses one calibrated TG and a calibrated gold standard detector on one channel and a second calibrated TG and a detector to be calibrated on the other channel. Both channels simultaneously view the laser-produced plasma x-ray source from the same angle with respect to the laser beam and the planar target normal. Image plate detectors are calibrated for the first time at photon energies below 700 eV. Single shot simultaneous calibration of several detectors is possible, making this method an efficient and practical way to periodically calibrate detectors, using in-house capabilities of laser laboratories.

Space-resolved vacuum-ultraviolet spectroscopy for measuring impurity emission from divertor region of EAST tokamak

The measurement of impurity distribution in the divertor region of tokamaks is key to studying edge impurity transport. Therefore, a space-resolved vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) spectrometer is designed to measure impurity emission in the divertor region on EAST. For good spectral resolution, an eagle-type VUV spectrometer with 1 m long focal length with spherical holograph grating is used in the system. For light collection, a collimating mirror is installed between the EAST plasma and the VUV spectrometer to extend the observing range to cover the upper divertor region. Two types of detectors, i.e. a back-illuminated charge-coupled device detector and a photomultiplier-tube detector, are adopted for the spectral measurement and high-frequency intensity measurement for feedback control, respectively. The angle between the entrance and exit optical axis is fixed at 15°. The detector can be moved along the exit axis to maintain a good focusing position when the wavelength is scanned by rotating the grating. The profile of impurity emissions is projected through the space-resolved slit, which is set horizontally. The spectrometer is equipped with two gratings with 2400 grooves/mm and 2160 grooves/mm, respectively. The overall aberration of the system is reduced by accurate detector positioning. As a result, the total spectral broadening can be reduced to about 0.013 nm. The simulated performance of the system is found to satisfy the requirement of measurement of impurity emissions from the divertor area of the EAST tokamak.

Distinguishing bacteria from minerals in a layered sample using time-resolved Raman spectroscopy and global analysis

Mars is one of the prime candidates in the search for extraterrestrial life. At the most comparable terrestrial Martian analogue sites, life often occurs in endolithic form; i.e. hiding below the surface. To detect biomarkers of endolithic life, the two most promising options are drilling or measuring through the surface, the latter being less invasive and preferable. Raman spectroscopy is an established chemical identification method, and advanced Raman modes have been developed for sub-surface analysis. Time-resolved Raman spectroscopy (TRRS), based on picosecond pulsed excitation and a gated intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) detector, adds the capability of fluorescence suppression and depth selection. This paper focuses on the separation of layers with time differences that are much smaller than the full width at half-maximum gating time of the detector. As an analogue for endolithic life on Mars, Deinococcus radiodurans bacteria were measured through a and top layer of translucent calcite. TRRS spectra were recorded in a backscattering geometry, while stepwise increasing the detector delay in steps. Through both of these layers, the Raman spectrum of the bacteria’s carotenoids could be detected. Global analysis was used to model a complete time-resolved spectrum of the sample. Using this analysis, the signals could be separated into three components: mineral Raman, bacterial Raman and bacterial fluorescence. The model also corrects for gating differences across the horizontal axis of the ICCD camera. With this approach well-separated Raman spectra were obtained even for the calcite layer despite the temporal separation of approximately , which is much shorter than the detector gating time. TRRS could be a suitable approach for non-invasive detection of extraterrestrial subsurface biomarkers.