# The Kitt Peak Electron Multiplying CCD demonstrator

## TL;DR

The paper introduces the Kitt Peak EMCCD demonstrator, a high-speed, low-noise optical imaging instrument designed for rapid follow-up observations of transient and periodic astronomical sources.

## Contribution

It presents a new EMCCD-based camera system with sub-electron read noise and high frame rates for use at Kitt Peak's 84-inch telescope.

## Key findings

- Achieves >1 Hz frame rate with low noise
- Suitable for follow-up of short-period binaries and transients
- Provides a 4.4' x 4.4' field of view with 0.259'' pixel scale

## Abstract

The Kitt Peak Electron Multiplying CCD (EMCCD) demonstrator is a new instrument that has been developed for use at the Kitt Peak National Observatory's 84-inch telescope. The EMCCD enables single-band optical imaging in the Sloan \textit{g} and \textit{r} bands and Johnson \textit{UVRI} filters. The EMCCD is chosen for its sub-electron effective read noise using large multiplicative gains. As a result, frame rates of greater than 1\,Hz are possible. The field-of-view is 4.4$^\prime$ $\times$ 4.4$^\prime$ and the pixel size is 0.259$^{\prime\prime}$. This camera, coupled with a fully roboticized telescope, is ideal for follow-up of short period, white dwarf binary candidates, as well as short duration transient and periodic sources identified by large field-of-view all-sky surveys such as the Zwicky Transient Facility.