New CCD Image Sensors for Improved Etaloning Near IR

Back-thinned CCDs have exhibited problems of etalation in the near IR, which is problematic in applications such as Raman spectroscopy. The new improved S11071 series from Hamamatsu Photonics addresses this problem and has been specifically designed to reduce this etaloning effect, making it suitable for a wider range of applications, including medical.

Hamamatsu Photonics back thinned CCD technology has long been used in the development of high end analytical and medical instruments. The back thinned technology provides excellent sensitivity in the UV and blue end of the spectrum, combined with high quantum efficiencies in the visible (> 90 % QE) and near IR (to almost 1200 nm). Until now the cost of the back thinning process has limited the widespread use of this technology, but the S11071 has been developed and optimised specifically for lower cost, portable spectroscopic applications.

The S11071 comes in four formats, with either 1024 or 2048 pixels length and 16 or 64 pixel height, which gives added sensitivity compared to linear CCD sensors, which were not originally developed for analytical applications. The new devices feature a high-speed, 5 MHz amplifier, making the new sensor suitable for high throughput applications. With quantum efficiencies > 50 % in the UV region and improved response in the near IR, the device has excellent uniformity, long term stability and an excellent anti-blooming function, thus reducing the costs associated with re-calibration of some current field instrumentation.

Applications for this product range include Raman spectrophotometry, UV-VIS and emission spectrophotometers, high-speed colour measurement, blood analysers, protein analyzers, portable spectrometers, water pollution analysers, and many more.