Teledyne e2v sensors for adaptive optics wavefront sensing on ELTs: high rate, large format, and low noise

Abstract

Teledyne e2v has a well-established heritage of designing and supplying high performance sensors for professional astronomy. These CCD and CMOS image sensors are back-thinned for maximum quantum efficiency, designed for lowest read-noise, and optimised for high frame rate use. CCDs are appropriate cost-effective solutions for modest formats (e.g. 240 X 240 pixels) but CMOS architectures are required for larger formats at high frame rates. We describe key elements of a major proposed sensor design for the E-ELT; this "LVSM" detector has 800 X 800 pixels in a design that is optimised for ELT use. High rate CMOS sensors use multiple parallel ADC blocks and deliver very low pixel noise coupled with very low noise ADC circuits. These sensors provide high sensitivity at low signal levels for natural and laser guide star applications. We present examples of sensor designs ranging from 80X80 to 1600X1600 pixels in simple and more complex Peltiercooled packages. Sensor performance considerations such as intra-pixel response, cross-talk, uniformity, data paths, and others are discussed.

Adaptive Optics for Extremely Large Telescopes

“…TMT numbers taken from Boyer & Ellerbroek (2016); Boyer (2017); Dunn et al (2016); Kerley et al (2016);Herriot et al (2014Herriot et al ( , 2017. Teledyne e2v large sensor visible module (LSVM) and other sensors for AO(Jorden et al, 2017). For the natural guide star detector (NGSD) device see alsoReyes-Moreno et al (2016).…”