Single-Element Charge-Injection Device As A Spectroscopic Detector

The need for a single-element charge-transfer device as a spectroscopic detector is discussed. Such a detector promises to offer superior performance compared to current photomultiplier tubes over a wide range of illumination levels. As a detector to address this need, the prototype CID75 manufactured by General Electric Co. is described and characterized. The CID75 is a single-element charge-injection-device sensor with a 1 mm by 1 mm photoactive area and a readout rate adjustable from 0 to 20 kHz. The electro-optical characteristics reported in this study include linearity, read noise, full-well capacity, dark count rate, and quantum efficiency. The sensors have good photometric linearity with a full-well capacity in excess of 1.2 x 108 e -. The read noise of the detector can be lowered to 80 e - when its nondestructive readout mode is employed. The quantum efficiency of the CID75 is reported for the wavelength range from 200 to 1000 nm. Combining a simple dynamic range of 106 with the ability to vary integration times over four orders of magnitude allows this detector to quantify photon fluxes varying over 10 orders of magnitude. The conclusions of this study are that the CID75 sensor is a useful detector for a variety of applications.