1. Warsaw University of Technology Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology Institute of Electronic Systems „High sensitivity CCD cameras for....

2. Camera designers Electronics: Marcin Grajda b) Grzegorz Kasprowicz a), Sławomir Stankiewicz b), Mount: Henryk Czyrkowski, Mikolaj Cwiok, Ryszard Dabrowski supervised by: a) R. Romaniuk, K. Pozniak, Institute of Electronic Systems b) A.Burd, Institute of Electronic Systems project coordinators: G.Wrochna, Institute for Nuclear Studies L.Mankiewicz, Center for Theoretical Physic PAS

3. Required camera parameters low-noise, high sensitivity high resolution of optics and data wide observation angle fast camera-host computer data transfer mechanical shutter (10^7 duty cycles) side light beams attenuation lowest possible cost (possible multiplication)

4. Side view on the camera: with (left) and without case (top) PCB – with small „corrections” „First steps” (1) – K0, K1

5. „First steps” (2) – K0, K1 K1 shutter design K0, K1 – on the mount

6. Achieved goals two working low-noise cameras – K2a, K2b precise mount able to point both cameras in any visible part of the Sky (R&D) – new, low-noise amplifier capable to amplify CCD signal with better parameters than now installed

7. Achieved goals - camera parameters CCD: 2048 x 2048 pixels, (15µm x 15µm) – Fairchild CCD442 ADC: 16 bit – Analog Devices ADC AD9826 shortest possible readout time ~1s 35 O x 35 O view angle data noise: depend of readout speed (results: later) 30.72 x 30.72mm image area dynamic range 10000:1

8. Firmware download and „security” fully, remote upgradable firmware of FPGA and Cypress microcontroller watchdog reset system in the camera microcontroller firmware loaded only into RAM memory host computers can reset each other UPS suppliers “Security” systems

9. Variable parameters exposure - length/start readout time (1s-100s) ADC amplification (1,2,4,8 e/ADU) OP AMP amplification x8/x20 ADC offset level - –300mV/+300mV temperature of Peltier’s stack

10. K2 – PCB’s K2 – digital PCB K2 – analog +CCD PCB

11. K2 – case K2 – lens, focus motor and temp. sensor K2 – tubular shape. Fan on the bottom camera mechanics designed by H.Czyrkowski i R.Dabrowski

12. K2 – test site Brwinow – Poland K2 –...on the roof. Sky test shoots were made here

13. K2 – the mount K2 – the mount and one of its designers M.Ćwiok

14. Brwinow by night... First images At last - the stars!!! Too cloudy – art purposes only...

15. Results of noise measurements CCD mV/e MHzPreamp Sigma e average Range ADU range bits K2a 4,1212011,6595812,5 4,122815,91086813,4 K2b 4,0312010,9650812,7 4,032816,01110813,4

16. Further plans prepare development boards for further R&D (S.Stankiewicz) test a new low noise amplifier designed by dr A.Burd experiment with multisampling measurements and digital filters (M.Grajda) work out smaller, less expensive design suitable for schools, astronomy clubs etc. (G.Kasprowicz) CCD camera with 2000x2000 pixels have been designed one prototype and two final cameras have been built parameters achieved: readout 2MHz/2s, noise 15e (e~=4uV), dynamic range 13.5 bits two cameras on a robotic mount will be installed at Las Campanas (Chile) in June Summary