Description
iStar sCMOS – Intensified sCMOS Camera
The iStar sCMOS is Andor’s new ultrafast platform for nanosecond time-resolved imaging.
The innovative USB 3.0 iStar sCMOS boasts frame rates at least 50% faster than competing CCD or interline platforms (at equivalent pixel matrix size), while offering intrinsically low noise floor. A better signal-to-noise ratio can be achieved with lower intensifier amplification gain, yielding market-leading dynamic range performance. It also features ‘dual-frame’ capabilities for Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) with optical inter-frame as low as 300 ns.
It features high frame rates up to 50 fps (4,000 with ROI) through a USB3 interface, with the high accuracy gating performance that you would expect from an iStar. It is the ideal platform for ultrafast, nanosecond time-resolved transient experiments, multi-track applications and hyperspectral imaging.
Features
50 frames/s acquisition rates – Sustainable rate at full field-of-view, out-performs CCD and interline-based ns gated ICCDs with equivalent field-of-view.
16.6 x 14.0 mm sensor matrix – Large field of view, access more of the useful active area of Ø18 mm image intensifiers without the need for optical tapers.
2.4 e- read noise – Highest dynamic range even at the fastest frame rates, up to 5 times better performance than the closest interline-based competitor
12-bit and 16-bit modes – 12-bit mode for smaller file size and absolute fastest frame rates, 16-bit for full dynamic range.
Up to 32-bit data transmission to PC – On-head intelligence to preserve dynamic range in extensive pixel binning, or high intensity pixel binning scenarios.
Optical inter-frame down to 300 ns – Ideal for PIV-type applications requiring fast dual images snapshots with high background rejection or supersonic flow analysis. The true Global Shutter mode facilitates an optical inter-frame gap down to 100 ns, although the intensifier phosphor decay time is the limiting factor. The decay time of a fast P46 phosphor is typically 200 ns (@ 10% intensity).
TE cooling down to 0oC – Efficiently minimizes dark current noise for acquisitions requiring longer sensor exposure time, e.g. integrate-on-chip mode.
High QE Gen 2 & 3 image intensifiers – Superior photon capture, with peak QE up to 50% and spectral coverage from 120 to 1,100 nm
True optical gating < 2 ns B – Billionth of a second time-resolution for accurate transient phenomena study.
Low jitter, on-board Digital Delay Generator (DDG™ ) – Highest gating timing accuracy with lowest propagation delay. Software controlled 3x triggering outputs with 10 ps setup accuracy for complex experiment integration.
