PROGRAMMABLE CCD IMAGING-SYSTEM FOR SYNCHROTRON RADIATION STUDIES

A real-time imaging system for x-ray detection has been developed. The Computer Automated Measurement and Control (CAMAC)-based system has a charge coupled device (CCD) as its active detection element. The electronics consists of a CAMAC crate based dedicated microprocessor coupled to arbitrary wave form generators, programmable timing and analog-to-digital converter modules. The hardware flexibility achievable through this system enables us to use virtually any commercially available CCD. A dedicated CAMAC-based display driver allows for real-time imaging on a high-resolution color monitor. An optional front end consisting of a fibre-optic taper and a focusing optical lens system coupled to a phosphor screen allows for large area imaging. Further, programming flexibility, where the detector can be used in different readout modes, enables it to be exploited for time-resolved experiments. In one mode, sections of the CCD can be readout with millisecond time resolution and in another, the use of the CCD as a storage device is exploited resulting in microsecond time resolution. Three different CCDs with radically different readout timings and waveforms have been tested. The CCD characterized for uniformity, charge transfer efficiency, linearity and sensitivity is the TC215.