Realization and application of a 111 million pixel backside-illuminated detector and camera

TL;DR

This paper reports the development and testing of a 111 million pixel backside-illuminated CCD camera, highlighting its design, fabrication, and performance for high-resolution astronomical imaging.

Contribution

It introduces a full-wafer, high-resolution CCD with innovative electronics and discusses modifications for enhanced performance and space applications.

Findings

Successful fabrication of a 111 million pixel CCD in 2006

Low read-noise performance achieved with 16-second readout at 0.9 MHz

Enhanced readout speed up to 20 MHz with alternative electronics

Abstract

A full-wafer, 10,580 $\times$ 10,560 pixel (95 $\times$ 95 mm) CCD was designed and tested at Semiconductor Technology Associates (STA) with 9 um square pixels and 16 outputs. The chip was successfully fabricated in 2006 at DALSA and some performance results are presented here. This program was funded by the Office of Naval Research through a Small Business Innovation in Research (SBIR) program requested by the U.S. Naval Observatory for its next generation astrometric sky survey programs. Using Leach electronics, low read-noise output of the 111 million pixels requires 16 seconds at 0.9 MHz. Alternative electronics developed at STA allow readout at 20 MHz. Some modifications of the design to include anti-blooming features, a larger number of outputs, and use of p-channel material for space applications are discussed.