Definition of intensified charge-coupled device camera

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Photonics Dictionary

intensified charge-coupled device camera: An intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) camera is an advanced imaging device that combines the capabilities of both an image intensifier and a charge-coupled device (CCD) sensor to achieve high-sensitivity imaging in low-light conditions or ultra-fast imaging applications.

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Here is how it works:

Image intensifier: The heart of an ICCD camera is an image intensifier tube. This tube takes incoming photons (light) and converts them into a cascade of electrons using a photocathode. These electrons are then accelerated towards a microchannel plate (MCP) which further amplifies them. As the electrons pass through the MCP, they strike its surface, creating secondary electrons in the process. This multiplication of electrons greatly amplifies the original signal, enhancing the overall sensitivity of the camera.

Charge-coupled device (CCD) sensor: The intensified image is then focused onto a CCD sensor. The CCD sensor is a light-sensitive semiconductor device that converts the intensified image into an electronic signal. The intensified electrons from the image intensifier strike the CCD's pixels, generating charge proportional to the intensity of the light at each pixel location. This charge is then read out from the CCD sensor and processed to form an image.

Integration and readout: The CCD sensor integrates the charge generated by the intensified image over a period of time determined by the exposure time or frame rate set by the user. After the integration period, the charge accumulated in each pixel of the CCD is sequentially read out and converted into a digital signal. This digital signal is then processed and stored, resulting in a high-quality image with enhanced sensitivity and contrast.

ICCD cameras are commonly used in various applications where high sensitivity and fast imaging capabilities are required, including:

Low-light imaging: ICCD cameras excel in capturing images in low-light conditions, making them ideal for applications such as astronomy, fluorescence microscopy, bioluminescence imaging, and night vision.

Ultrafast imaging: ICCD cameras are capable of capturing high-speed events with frame rates ranging from hundreds to thousands of frames per second. This makes them valuable tools for applications such as combustion research, ballistic testing, plasma physics, and time-resolved spectroscopy.

Photon counting: ICCD cameras can be used for photon counting applications where detecting single photons or low levels of light is crucial, such as quantum optics, quantum cryptography, and single-molecule fluorescence imaging.

Overall, ICCD cameras offer a powerful combination of high sensitivity, fast imaging speed, and photon counting capabilities, making them indispensable tools in a wide range of scientific, industrial, and defense-related applications.

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