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• 1. [Article] Temperature dependence of dark current in a CCD

  We present data for dark current of a back-illuminated CCD over the temperature range of 222 to 291 K. Using an Arrhenius law, we found that the analysis of the data leads to the relation between the prefactor ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Temperature dependence of dark current in a CCD Author: Widenhorn, Ralf, Blouke, Morley M., Weber, Alexander, Rest, Armin, Bodegom, Erik Year: 2002 We present data for dark current of a back-illuminated CCD over the temperature range of 222 to 291 K. Using an Arrhenius law, we found that the analysis of the data leads to the relation between the prefactor and the apparent activation energy as described by the Meyer-Neldel rule. However, a more detailed analysis shows that the activation energy for the dark current changes in the temperature range investigated. This transition can be explained by the larger relative importance at high temperatures of the diffusion dark current and at low temperatures by the depletion dark current. The diffusion dark current, characterized by the band gap of silicon, is uniform for all pixels. At low temperatures, the depletion dark current, characterized by half the band gap, prevails, but it varies for different pixels. Dark current spikes are pronounced at low temperatures and can be explained by large concentrations of deep level impurities in those particular pixels. We show that fitting the data with the impurity concentration as the only variable can explain the dark current characteristics of all the pixels on the chip. Title: Temperature dependence of dark current in a CCD Author: Widenhorn, Ralf, Blouke, Morley M., Weber, Alexander, Rest, Armin, Bodegom, Erik Year: 2002 We present data for dark current of a back-illuminated CCD over the temperature range of 222 to 291 K. Using an Arrhenius law, we found that the analysis of the data leads to the relation between the prefactor and the apparent activation energy as described by the Meyer-Neldel rule. However, a more detailed analysis shows that the activation energy for the dark current changes in the temperature range investigated. This transition can be explained by the larger relative importance at high temperatures of the diffusion dark current and at low temperatures by the depletion dark current. The diffusion dark current, characterized by the band gap of silicon, is uniform for all pixels. At low temperatures, the depletion dark current, characterized by half the band gap, prevails, but it varies for different pixels. Dark current spikes are pronounced at low temperatures and can be explained by large concentrations of deep level impurities in those particular pixels. We show that fitting the data with the impurity concentration as the only variable can explain the dark current characteristics of all the pixels on the chip. Close

• 2. [Article] Dark current behavior in DSLR cameras

  Digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras are examined and their dark current behavior is presented. We examine the influence of varying temperature, exposure time, and gain setting on dark current. Dark ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Dark current behavior in DSLR cameras Author: Dunlap, Justin Charles, Sostin, Oleg, Widenhorn, Ralf, Bodegom, Erik Year: 2009 Digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras are examined and their dark current behavior is presented. We examine the influence of varying temperature, exposure time, and gain setting on dark current. Dark current behavior unique to sensors within such cameras is observed. In particular, heat is trapped within the camera body resulting in higher internal temperatures and an increase in dark current after successive images. We look at the possibility of correcting for the dark current, based on previous work done for scientific grade imagers, where hot pixels are used as indicators for the entire chip?s dark current behavior. Standard methods of dark current correction are compared to computed dark frames. Dark current is a concern for DSLR cameras as optimum conditions for limiting dark current, such as cooling the imager, are not easily obtained in the typical use of such imagers. Title: Dark current behavior in DSLR cameras Author: Dunlap, Justin Charles, Sostin, Oleg, Widenhorn, Ralf, Bodegom, Erik Year: 2009 Digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras are examined and their dark current behavior is presented. We examine the influence of varying temperature, exposure time, and gain setting on dark current. Dark current behavior unique to sensors within such cameras is observed. In particular, heat is trapped within the camera body resulting in higher internal temperatures and an increase in dark current after successive images. We look at the possibility of correcting for the dark current, based on previous work done for scientific grade imagers, where hot pixels are used as indicators for the entire chip?s dark current behavior. Standard methods of dark current correction are compared to computed dark frames. Dark current is a concern for DSLR cameras as optimum conditions for limiting dark current, such as cooling the imager, are not easily obtained in the typical use of such imagers. Close

• 3. [Article] Infrared response of charge-coupled devices

  With a band gap of silicon of 1.1eV, the largest wavelength that can excite electrons from the valence to the conduction band is roughly 1100nm. As a consequence, in, for instance, a charge-coupled device, ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Infrared response of charge-coupled devices Author: Loch, Matthias, Widenhorn, Ralf, Bodegom, Erik Year: 2005 With a band gap of silicon of 1.1eV, the largest wavelength that can excite electrons from the valence to the conduction band is roughly 1100nm. As a consequence, in, for instance, a charge-coupled device, the quantum efficiency (QE) for wavelengths larger than 1100nm is assumed to be zero. We found that there is a response at those longer wavelengths and that the response decreases with increasing wavelength. The QE increases with increasing chip temperature which suggests a thermally activated process. Impurities in the silicon provide the energy levels in the band gap, from which electrons can be excited either thermally or by absorption of a photon. It is these impurities that contribute to the infrared response. We characterized the response at chip temperatures of 248 K to 293 K for wavelengths from 1200 nm to 1600 nm and calculated the activation energies at these wavelengths. We found that hot pixels, i.e., pixels with extraordinary high counts in a dark frame, tend to respond stronger to infrared light than normal pixels. This correlation gets stronger for longer wavelengths. It is argued that this response can be used for probing the impurities present in the silicon bulk of the sensors Title: Infrared response of charge-coupled devices Author: Loch, Matthias, Widenhorn, Ralf, Bodegom, Erik Year: 2005 With a band gap of silicon of 1.1eV, the largest wavelength that can excite electrons from the valence to the conduction band is roughly 1100nm. As a consequence, in, for instance, a charge-coupled device, the quantum efficiency (QE) for wavelengths larger than 1100nm is assumed to be zero. We found that there is a response at those longer wavelengths and that the response decreases with increasing wavelength. The QE increases with increasing chip temperature which suggests a thermally activated process. Impurities in the silicon provide the energy levels in the band gap, from which electrons can be excited either thermally or by absorption of a photon. It is these impurities that contribute to the infrared response. We characterized the response at chip temperatures of 248 K to 293 K for wavelengths from 1200 nm to 1600 nm and calculated the activation energies at these wavelengths. We found that hot pixels, i.e., pixels with extraordinary high counts in a dark frame, tend to respond stronger to infrared light than normal pixels. This correlation gets stronger for longer wavelengths. It is argued that this response can be used for probing the impurities present in the silicon bulk of the sensors Close

• 4. [Article] Residual images in charged-coupled device detectors

  We present results of a systematic study of persistent, or residual, images that occur in charged-coupled device (CCD) detectors. A phenomenological model for these residual images, also known as "ghosting," ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Residual images in charged-coupled device detectors Author: Rest, Armin, Mündermann, Lars, Widenhorn, Ralf, Bodegom, Erik, McGlinn, T. C. Year: 2002 We present results of a systematic study of persistent, or residual, images that occur in charged-coupled device (CCD) detectors. A phenomenological model for these residual images, also known as "ghosting," is introduced. This model relates the excess dark current in a CCD after exposure to the number of filled impurity sites which is tested for various temperatures and exposure times. We experimentally derive values for the cross section, density, and characteristic energy of the impurity sites responsible for the residual images. Title: Residual images in charged-coupled device detectors Author: Rest, Armin, Mündermann, Lars, Widenhorn, Ralf, Bodegom, Erik, McGlinn, T. C. Year: 2002 We present results of a systematic study of persistent, or residual, images that occur in charged-coupled device (CCD) detectors. A phenomenological model for these residual images, also known as "ghosting," is introduced. This model relates the excess dark current in a CCD after exposure to the number of filled impurity sites which is tested for various temperatures and exposure times. We experimentally derive values for the cross section, density, and characteristic energy of the impurity sites responsible for the residual images. Close

• 5. [Article] Study of the numerical modeling of the temperature dependence of the dark current in Charge Coupled Devices

  As it is well known, the classical works of the Dark Current Spectroscopy method allow - using some not too accurate theoretical relations, but huge numbers of dark current values for thousands of pixels ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Study of the numerical modeling of the temperature dependence of the dark current in Charge Coupled Devices Author: Widenhorn, Ralf, Tunaru, Ionel, Bodegom, Erik, Iordache, Dan A. Year: 2010 As it is well known, the classical works of the Dark Current Spectroscopy method allow - using some not too accurate theoretical relations, but huge numbers of dark current values for thousands of pixels - the evaluation of a reduced number of basic impurities parameters. Unlike these works, this paper tries to obtain--by means of some better approximations of the Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH) model--more information about the studied impurities, as well as the study of the compatibility of the used theoretical model SRH relative to the experimental data. In this manner, both the compatibility SRH model with the studied experimental data was checked up, as well as the values of some additional physical parameters of the impurified semiconductor (the logarithms of the pre-exponential factors lnDiff, lnDep, the effective value of the energy gap Eg) and of the separate capture cross-sections of the free electrons, and holes, respectively, by the studied deep-level contaminants, were evaluated. Title: Study of the numerical modeling of the temperature dependence of the dark current in Charge Coupled Devices Author: Widenhorn, Ralf, Tunaru, Ionel, Bodegom, Erik, Iordache, Dan A. Year: 2010 As it is well known, the classical works of the Dark Current Spectroscopy method allow - using some not too accurate theoretical relations, but huge numbers of dark current values for thousands of pixels - the evaluation of a reduced number of basic impurities parameters. Unlike these works, this paper tries to obtain--by means of some better approximations of the Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH) model--more information about the studied impurities, as well as the study of the compatibility of the used theoretical model SRH relative to the experimental data. In this manner, both the compatibility SRH model with the studied experimental data was checked up, as well as the values of some additional physical parameters of the impurified semiconductor (the logarithms of the pre-exponential factors lnDiff, lnDep, the effective value of the energy gap Eg) and of the separate capture cross-sections of the free electrons, and holes, respectively, by the studied deep-level contaminants, were evaluated. Close

• 6. [Article] Influence of Illumination on Dark Current in Charge-Coupled Device Imagers

  Thermal excitation of electrons is a major source of noise in charge-coupled-device (CCD) imagers. Those electrons are generated even in the absence of light, hence, the name dark current. Dark current ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Influence of Illumination on Dark Current in Charge-Coupled Device Imagers Author: Widenhorn, Ralf, Hartwig, Ines, Dunlap, Justin Charles, Bodegom, Erik Year: 2009 Thermal excitation of electrons is a major source of noise in charge-coupled-device (CCD) imagers. Those electrons are generated even in the absence of light, hence, the name dark current. Dark current is particularly important for long exposure times and elevated temperatures. The standard procedure to correct for dark current is to take several pictures under the same condition as the real image, except with the shutter closed. The resulting dark frame is later subtracted from the exposed image. We address the question of whether the dark current produced in an image taken with a closed shutter is identical to the dark current produced in an exposure in the presence of light. In our investigation, we illuminated two different CCD chips with different intensities of light and measured the dark current generation. A surprising result of this study is that some pixels produce a different amount of dark current under illumination. Finally, we discuss the implication of this finding for dark frame image correction. Title: Influence of Illumination on Dark Current in Charge-Coupled Device Imagers Author: Widenhorn, Ralf, Hartwig, Ines, Dunlap, Justin Charles, Bodegom, Erik Year: 2009 Thermal excitation of electrons is a major source of noise in charge-coupled-device (CCD) imagers. Those electrons are generated even in the absence of light, hence, the name dark current. Dark current is particularly important for long exposure times and elevated temperatures. The standard procedure to correct for dark current is to take several pictures under the same condition as the real image, except with the shutter closed. The resulting dark frame is later subtracted from the exposed image. We address the question of whether the dark current produced in an image taken with a closed shutter is identical to the dark current produced in an exposure in the presence of light. In our investigation, we illuminated two different CCD chips with different intensities of light and measured the dark current generation. A surprising result of this study is that some pixels produce a different amount of dark current under illumination. Finally, we discuss the implication of this finding for dark frame image correction. Close

• 7. [Article] Computational Approach to Dark Current Spectroscopy in CCDs as complex systems. II. Numerical Analysis of the Uniqueness Parameters Evaluation

  The evaluation of the uniqueness parameters of the temperature dependence in CCDs is difficult to the considerable number of input parameters and to the strongly nonlinear (exponential) theoretical relations. ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Computational Approach to Dark Current Spectroscopy in CCDs as complex systems. II. Numerical Analysis of the Uniqueness Parameters Evaluation Author: Tunaru, Ionel, Widenhorn, Ralf, Iordache, Dan A., Bodegom, Erik Year: 2011 The evaluation of the uniqueness parameters of the temperature dependence in CCDs is difficult to the considerable number of input parameters and to the strongly nonlinear (exponential) theoretical relations. For this reason, the elaborated computer programs are very sensitive to the choice of the zero-order approximations of the effective (Si) energy gap, and of the weights associated to the experimentally determined dark current. The main goal of this work was to study the rather narrow stability domains of the zero-order approximations, which lead to attractors with physical meaning. It was found that the stability domains are surrounded by (usually in this order): other fields leading to oscillations, pseudo-convergence (false attractors, described by non-physical values of the studied parameters) or instability fields, which were studied also in detail. Title: Computational Approach to Dark Current Spectroscopy in CCDs as complex systems. II. Numerical Analysis of the Uniqueness Parameters Evaluation Author: Tunaru, Ionel, Widenhorn, Ralf, Iordache, Dan A., Bodegom, Erik Year: 2011 The evaluation of the uniqueness parameters of the temperature dependence in CCDs is difficult to the considerable number of input parameters and to the strongly nonlinear (exponential) theoretical relations. For this reason, the elaborated computer programs are very sensitive to the choice of the zero-order approximations of the effective (Si) energy gap, and of the weights associated to the experimentally determined dark current. The main goal of this work was to study the rather narrow stability domains of the zero-order approximations, which lead to attractors with physical meaning. It was found that the stability domains are surrounded by (usually in this order): other fields leading to oscillations, pseudo-convergence (false attractors, described by non-physical values of the studied parameters) or instability fields, which were studied also in detail. Close

• 8. [Article] Measurements of dark current in a CCD imager during light exposures

  Thermal excitation of electrons is a major source of noise in Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) imagers. Those electrons are generated even in the absence of light, hence the name dark current. Dark current ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Measurements of dark current in a CCD imager during light exposures Author: Widenhorn, Ralf, Hartwig, Ines, Dunlap, Justin Charles, Bodegom, Erik Year: 2008 Thermal excitation of electrons is a major source of noise in Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) imagers. Those electrons are generated even in the absence of light, hence the name dark current. Dark current is particularly important for long exposure times and elevated temperatures. The standard procedure to correct for dark current is to take several pictures under the same condition as the real image, except with the shutter closed. The resulting dark frame is later subtracted from the exposed image. We address the question of whether the dark current produced in an image taken with a closed shutter is identical to the dark current produced in an exposure in the presence of light. In our investigation, we illuminated two different CCD chips to different intensities of light and measured the dark current generation. A surprising conclusion of this study is that some pixels produce a different amount of dark current under illumination. Finally, we discuss the implications that this has for dark frame image correction. Title: Measurements of dark current in a CCD imager during light exposures Author: Widenhorn, Ralf, Hartwig, Ines, Dunlap, Justin Charles, Bodegom, Erik Year: 2008 Thermal excitation of electrons is a major source of noise in Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) imagers. Those electrons are generated even in the absence of light, hence the name dark current. Dark current is particularly important for long exposure times and elevated temperatures. The standard procedure to correct for dark current is to take several pictures under the same condition as the real image, except with the shutter closed. The resulting dark frame is later subtracted from the exposed image. We address the question of whether the dark current produced in an image taken with a closed shutter is identical to the dark current produced in an exposure in the presence of light. In our investigation, we illuminated two different CCD chips to different intensities of light and measured the dark current generation. A surprising conclusion of this study is that some pixels produce a different amount of dark current under illumination. Finally, we discuss the implications that this has for dark frame image correction. Close

• 9. [Article] Correction of dark current in consumer cameras

  A study of dark current in digital imagers in digital singlelens reflex (DSLR) and compact consumer-grade digital cameras is presented. Dark current is shown to vary with temperature, exposure time, and ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Correction of dark current in consumer cameras Author: Dunlap, Justin Charles, Bodegom, Erik, Widenhorn, Ralf Year: 2010 A study of dark current in digital imagers in digital singlelens reflex (DSLR) and compact consumer-grade digital cameras is presented. Dark current is shown to vary with temperature, exposure time, and ISO setting. Further, dark current is shown to increase in successive images during a series of images. DSLR and compact consumer cameras are often designed such that they are contained within a densely packed camera body, and therefore the digital imagers within the camera frame are prone to heat generated by the sensor as well as nearby elements within the camera body. It is the scope of this work to characterize the dark current in such cameras and to show that the dark current, in part due to heat generated by the camera itself, can be corrected by using hot pixels on the imager. This method generates computed dark frames based on the dark current indicator value of the hottest pixels on the chip. We compare this method to standard methods of dark current correction. Title: Correction of dark current in consumer cameras Author: Dunlap, Justin Charles, Bodegom, Erik, Widenhorn, Ralf Year: 2010 A study of dark current in digital imagers in digital singlelens reflex (DSLR) and compact consumer-grade digital cameras is presented. Dark current is shown to vary with temperature, exposure time, and ISO setting. Further, dark current is shown to increase in successive images during a series of images. DSLR and compact consumer cameras are often designed such that they are contained within a densely packed camera body, and therefore the digital imagers within the camera frame are prone to heat generated by the sensor as well as nearby elements within the camera body. It is the scope of this work to characterize the dark current in such cameras and to show that the dark current, in part due to heat generated by the camera itself, can be corrected by using hot pixels on the imager. This method generates computed dark frames based on the dark current indicator value of the hottest pixels on the chip. We compare this method to standard methods of dark current correction. Close

• 10. [Article] Dark current in an active pixel complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor sensor

  We present an analysis of dark current from a complementary metal?oxide?semiconductor (CMOS) active pixels sensor with global shutter. The presence of two sources of dark current, one within the collection ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Dark current in an active pixel complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor sensor Author: Dunlap, Justin Charles, Porter, William Christian, Bodegom, Erik, Widenhorn, Ralf Year: 2011 We present an analysis of dark current from a complementary metal?oxide?semiconductor (CMOS) active pixels sensor with global shutter. The presence of two sources of dark current, one within the collection area of the pixel and another within the sense node, present complications to correction of the dark current. The two sources are shown to generate unique and characteristic dark current behavior with respect to varying exposure time, temperature, and/or frame rate. In particular, a pixel with storage time in the sense node will show a dark current dependence on frame rate and the appearance of being a ?stuck pixel? with values independent of exposure time. On the other hand, a pixel with an impurity located within the collection area will show no frame rate dependence, but rather a linear dependence on exposure time. A method of computing dark frames based on past dark current behavior of the sensor is presented and shown to intrinsically compensate for the two different and unique sources. In addition, dark frames requiring subtraction of negative values, arising from the option to modify the bias offset, are shown to be appropriate and possible using the computational method. Title: Dark current in an active pixel complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor sensor Author: Dunlap, Justin Charles, Porter, William Christian, Bodegom, Erik, Widenhorn, Ralf Year: 2011 We present an analysis of dark current from a complementary metal?oxide?semiconductor (CMOS) active pixels sensor with global shutter. The presence of two sources of dark current, one within the collection area of the pixel and another within the sense node, present complications to correction of the dark current. The two sources are shown to generate unique and characteristic dark current behavior with respect to varying exposure time, temperature, and/or frame rate. In particular, a pixel with storage time in the sense node will show a dark current dependence on frame rate and the appearance of being a ?stuck pixel? with values independent of exposure time. On the other hand, a pixel with an impurity located within the collection area will show no frame rate dependence, but rather a linear dependence on exposure time. A method of computing dark frames based on past dark current behavior of the sensor is presented and shown to intrinsically compensate for the two different and unique sources. In addition, dark frames requiring subtraction of negative values, arising from the option to modify the bias offset, are shown to be appropriate and possible using the computational method. Close