CCD Image Sensors Have Line-Binning Mode

By employing a binning operation, two new back-thinned CCD area image sensors reportedly can deliver unparallel signal-to-noise ratio and signal processing speed. The S7030, an uncooled device, and S7031, a thermoelectrically cooled unit, employ FFT CCDs, have a 24 x 24 µm pixel size, and are said to be excellent choices for use in fluorescence and Raman spectrometry, optical and spectrophotometric analysis, and other low-light detection applications.Other features include a quantum efficiency of >90%, a wide spectral response range of 200 to 1100 nm, a readout noise of 8 e- rms at a 150-kHz operating frequency, and a dynamic range of 75,000 in the line-binning mode and 37,500 in the area-scanning mode. The CCDs come in a 24-pin ceramic package and have a quartz window (sapphire is optional).