New intensified 16 bit sCMOS camera: pco.dicam C1

06 Sep 2018

After more than 30 years of experience with image intensified cameras, PCO is proud to introduce the new pco.dicam C1. It is the first camera system with image intensifier technology that harnesses the full power of the sCMOS sensor. Unique is the optical connection of the high-resolution 25 mm image intensifier to the 16 bit sCMOS sensor via an efficient tandem lens. Individual photons are detected using the shortest exposure times.

How can PCO’s decades of research and development in intensified and sCMOS camera technology benefit today’s demanding applications?

Unmatched image quality through tandem lens coupling

The pco.dicam C1’s tandem lens system consists of two lenses. The imaging path goes from the focal plane of the first lens to infinity so that all rays emitted from a single object point are converted into a parallel bunch of rays. The second lens is focused to infinity and therefore brings the parallel bunch of rays back to focus in a single image point in the focal plane where the sensor is positioned.

As both lenses are used just for a single imaging task, their optical design can be perfectly optimized without any compromise. This optimization guarantees high transmission efficiency as well as perfect image quality, free of artifacts. In addition, image intensifiers with glass output window can be used, which show about 30 % higher emission to comparable intensifiers with fiber optical output, which are used for taper coupled systems.

Camera Link HS

For the first time Camera Link HS is used for an intensified camera system. It guarantees uncompressed and robust data transfer of up to 1187 MB/s per channel. The latest standard of high performance data interfaces enables the bridging of long distances via fiber optic cable. Forward Error Correction algorithms assure the highest of data integrity.

104 fps @ full resolution

A sustained frame rate of 104 fps at 4.2 MPix resolution and 16 bit dynamic is now a reality for the first time with intensified cameras. It’s not only the fast sCMOS sensor but also the ultra-fast CLHS interface that have opened the door to an unprecedented intensified image data rate of 840 MByte/s. Partial framerates scale with their vertical resolution in the sense that reducing the vertical ROI e. g. to 1024 lines results in 208 fps regardless of the horizontal length of these lines.

Enhanced extinction ratio gating

The well-known deficiency of image intensifiers to effectively block photons in the uv/blue part of the spectrum outside the desired exposure time is no longer an issue. The new pco.dicam C1 allows for a fast switch off of the intensifying micro channel plate (MCP) immediately after the shuttering of the photocathode. Thus, photo electrons generated directly in the MCP by potentially leaking uv/blue photons are not multiplied. This results in an overall enhancement of the total extinction ratio by more than two orders of magnitude.