Readout optimization of multi-amplifier sensing charge-coupled devices for single-quantum measurement

Ana M. Botti; Brenda A. Cervantes-Vergara; Claudio R. Chavez; Fernando Chierchie; Alex Drlica-Wagner; Juan Estrada; Guillermo Fernandez Moroni; Stephen Holland; Blas J. Irigoyen Gimenez; Agustin J. Lapi; Edgar Marrufo Villalpando; Miguel Sofo Haro; Javier Tiffenberg; Sho Uemura; Kenneth Lin; Armin Karcher; Julien Guy; Peter E. Nugent

doi:10.1117/12.3019411

27 August 2024 Readout optimization of multi-amplifier sensing charge-coupled devices for single-quantum measurement

Ana M. Botti, Brenda A. Cervantes-Vergara, Claudio R. Chavez, Fernando Chierchie, Alex Drlica-Wagner, Juan Estrada, Guillermo Fernandez Moroni, Stephen Holland, Blas J. Irigoyen Gimenez, Agustin J. Lapi, Edgar Marrufo Villalpando, Miguel Sofo Haro, Javier Tiffenberg, Sho Uemura, Kenneth Lin, Armin Karcher, Julien Guy, Peter E. Nugent

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 13103, X-Ray, Optical, and Infrared Detectors for Astronomy XI; 1310311 (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3019411
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2024, Yokohama, Japan

Abstract

The non-destructive readout capability of the Skipper Charge Coupled Device (CCD) has been demonstrated to reduce the noise limitation of conventional silicon devices to levels that allow single-photon or single-electron counting. The noise reduction is achieved by taking multiple measurements of the charge in each pixel. These multiple measurements come at the cost of extra readout time, which has been a limitation for the broader adoption of this technology in particle physics, quantum imaging, and astronomy applications. This work presents recent results of a novel sensor architecture that uses multiple non-destructive floating-gate amplifiers in series to achieve sub-electron readout noise in a thick, fully-depleted silicon detector to overcome the readout time overhead of the Skipper-CCD. This sensor is called the Multiple-Amplifier Sensing Charge-Coupled Device (MAS-CCD) can perform multiple independent charge measurements with each amplifier, and the measurements from multiple amplifiers can be combined to further reduce the readout noise. We will show results obtained for sensors with 8 and 16 amplifiers per readout stage in new readout operations modes to optimize its readout speed. The noise reduction capability of the new techniques will be demonstrated in terms of its ability to reduce the noise by combining the information from the different amplifiers, and to resolve signals in the order of a single photon per pixel. The first readout operation explored here avoids the extra readout time needed in the MAS-CCD to read a line of the sensor associated with the extra extent of the serial register. The second technique explore the capability of the MAS-CCD device to perform a region of interest readout increasing the number of multiple samples per amplifier in a targeted region of the active area of the device.

Conference Presentation

(2024) Published by SPIE. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Citation Download Citation

Ana M. Botti, Brenda A. Cervantes-Vergara, Claudio R. Chavez, Fernando Chierchie, Alex Drlica-Wagner, Juan Estrada, Guillermo Fernandez Moroni, Stephen Holland, Blas J. Irigoyen Gimenez, Agustin J. Lapi, Edgar Marrufo Villalpando, Miguel Sofo Haro, Javier Tiffenberg, Sho Uemura, Kenneth Lin, Armin Karcher, Julien Guy, and Peter E. Nugent "Readout optimization of multi-amplifier sensing charge-coupled devices for single-quantum measurement", Proc. SPIE 13103, X-Ray, Optical, and Infrared Detectors for Astronomy XI, 1310311 (27 August 2024); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3019411

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