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A new CCD sensor featuring I 024 x 256 pixels of I 9 pm x I 9 pm has been developed to address both high end and low cost spectroscopy applications (fluorescence, Raman, pulsed laser, emission and absorption). Specific technology and design have been used to optimize capabIlities of the sensor (binning, user selectable operating conditions,...) and to maximize performances (noise, dynamics, linearity, response uniformity, dark signal,...). This makes it an excellent candidate for all medical, biomedical, biochemical and biological spectroscopy applications. I . CCDs FOR SPECTROSCOPYSince the 80's linear and area array Charge Coupled Devices (CCD) are extensively used in spectroscopy applications (fluorescence, Raman, pulsed laser, emission or absorption spectroscopy,...) to record spectrally dispersed light from monochromators.CCDs basically consist of an array of gates which are laid over a suitably doped silicon substrate. Proper voltages applied on these gates do create potential wells which can first collect and store photogenerated electrons. At the end of exposure time these electrons are then transferred line by line to a serial register by applying the proper clocking sequence on the gates; pixels of each line are thus read out sequentially through the onchip "amplifier" (a source follower) just after charge to voltage conversion.CCDs are more and more used in spectroscopic applications mainly because of improvement of their performances over a broad band spectrum and because of their operating flexibility as well. Prices of these sensors are also becoming key parameters so as to address most of biomedical and medical applications and all other applications where cost and maintenance are critical. MARKET TRENDS FOR SPECTROSCOPIC CCDsDemands for CCDs in spectroscopy differ depending on the market and can be split into two main categories: * high end applications requiring very high detectivity, high signal to noise ratio and linear response; for these applications such as Raman spectroscopy, CCDs need to be cooled down to -40°C or even down to -80°C or -100°C so as to have rather long exposure times while keeping dark signal and dark signal noise as low as possible. * spectroscopic applications such as in medical or biomedical fields which require both good performances without cooling and cost effective system solutions. 0-81 94-1352-6/94/$6.00 SPIE Vol. 2085 Biochemical and Medical Sensors (1993)! 83 Downloaded From: http://proceedings.spiedigitallibrary.org/ on 06/23/2016 Terms of Use: http://spiedigitallibrary.org/ss/TermsOfUse.aspx SPIE Vol. 2085 Biochemical and Medical Sensors (1993)1 91 Downloaded From: http://proceedings.spiedigitallibrary.org/ on 06/23/2016 Terms of Use: http://spiedigitallibrary.org/ss/TermsOfUse.aspx