Sensitivity performance of ultra-fast IR imaging systems in the basis of a planar semiconductor-gas discharge IR-to-visible converter

Valery M. Marchenko; Sascha Matern; Hans-Georg Purwins; Yuri A. Astrov; Leonid M. Portsel

doi:10.1117/12.516773

1 August 2003 Sensitivity performance of ultrafast IR imaging systems in the basis of a planar semiconductor-gas discharge IR-to-visible converter

Valery M. Marchenko, Sascha Matern, Hans-Georg Purwins, Yuri A. Astrov, Leonid M. Portsel

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 4948, 25th International Congress on High-Speed Photography and Photonics; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.516773
Event: 25th international Congress on High-Speed photography and Photonics, 2002, Beaune, France

Abstract

Sensitivity of IR imaging systems based on a planar semiconductor-gas discharge (SGD) cell is considered. These systems feature conversion of IR images into visible ones with the response time on the microsecond scale. A converted (visible) image at the cell output is captured by an image sensor coupled to the cell either with a lens or with a fiber optic taper. Comparison of both methods shows that fiber tapers can provide much higher ultimate coupling efficiency but has less flexibility in usage and bring in a high additional heat load on the cooling unit. Obtained equations allow calculation of sensitivity for the whole system, taking into account such parameters of its constituents as the conversion efficiency and dark current density of the IR converter cell, readout noise of the image sensor, light transfer efficiency from the cell to the sensor, as well as the equivalent pixel area in the gas discharge plane and the exposure duration. The equations are applied to evaluate sensitivity of the IR imaging system utilizing a SGD cell filled with argon, where a Si:Zn semiconductor sensitive in a spectral range of 1.1 - 3.5 μm is used. The results demonstrate the possibility of achieving quite a high sensitivity performance of considered systems.

Citation Download Citation

Valery M. Marchenko, Sascha Matern, Hans-Georg Purwins, Yuri A. Astrov, and Leonid M. Portsel "Sensitivity performance of ultrafast IR imaging systems in the basis of a planar semiconductor-gas discharge IR-to-visible converter", Proc. SPIE 4948, 25th International Congress on High-Speed Photography and Photonics, (1 August 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.516773

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