Handbook of CCD Astronomy

Steve B. Howell0511161050

Charge-Coupled Devices (CCDs) are the state-of-the-art detector in many fields of observational science. Updated to include all of the latest developments in CCDs, this second edition of the Handbook of CCD Astronomy is a concise and accessible reference on all practical aspects of using CCDs. Starting with their electronic workings, it discusses their basic characteristics and then gives methods and examples of how to determine these values. While the book focuses on the use of CCDs in professional observational astronomy, advanced amateur astronomers, and researchers in physics, chemistry, medical imaging, and remote sensing will also find it very valuable. Tables of useful and hard-to-find data, key practical equations, and new exercises round off the book and ensure that it provides an ideal introduction to the practical use of CCDs for graduate students, and a handy reference for more experienced users.

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Table of contents :
Cover……Page 1
Half-title……Page 3
Series-title……Page 5
Title……Page 7
Copyright……Page 8
Contents……Page 9
Preface to the first edition……Page 12
Preface to the second edition……Page 15
1 Introduction……Page 17
1.1 Nomenclature……Page 18
1.2.1 Noise properties……Page 20
1.2.2 Quantum efficiency and band-pass……Page 21
1.3 Exercises……Page 22
2 CCD manufacturing and operation……Page 24
2.1 CCD operation……Page 25
2.2 CCD types……Page 30
2.2.1 Surface channel versus buried channel CCDs……Page 31
2.2.2 Front-side and back-side illuminated CCDs……Page 32
2.2.3 Interline and frame transfer CCDs……Page 33
2.2.4 Antiblooming CCDs……Page 35
2.2.5 Multipinned phase (MPP) CCDs……Page 37
2.2.6 Orthogonal transfer CCDs……Page 38
2.2.7 Low light level CCDs – L3CCDs……Page 40
2.2.8 Superconducting tunnel junctions……Page 42
2.2.9 CMOS devices……Page 43
2.3 CCD coatings……Page 44
2.4 Analog-to-digital converters……Page 46
2.5 Exercises……Page 49
3.1 Quantum efficiency……Page 52
3.2 Charge diffusion……Page 58
3.3 Charge transfer efficiency……Page 60
3.4 Readout noise……Page 61
3.5 Dark current……Page 63
3.6 CCD pixel size, pixel binning, full well capacity, and windowing……Page 66
3.7 Overscan and bias……Page 68
3.8 CCD gain and dynamic range……Page 71
3.9 Summary……Page 78
3.10 Exercises……Page 80
4.1 Image or plate scale……Page 82
4.2 Flat fielding……Page 83
4.3 Calculation of read noise and gain……Page 87
4.4 Signal-to-noise ratio……Page 89
4.5 Basic CCD data reduction……Page 93
4.6 CCD imaging……Page 98
4.6.1 CCD fringing and other cosmetic effects……Page 99
4.6.3 Wide-field CCD imaging……Page 104
4.6.4 CCD drift scanning and time-delay integration……Page 112
4.7 Exercises……Page 116
5 Photometry and astrometry……Page 118
5.1 Stellar photometry from digital images……Page 120
5.1.1 Image centering……Page 121
5.1.2 Estimation of background……Page 122
5.1.3 Estimation of point source intensity……Page 126
5.2 Two-dimensional profile fitting……Page 127
5.3 Difference image photometry……Page 130
5.4 Aperture photometry……Page 132
5.5 Absolute versus differential photometry……Page 137
5.6 High speed photometry……Page 139
5.7 PSF shaped photometry……Page 141
5.8 Astrometry……Page 144
5.9 Pixel sampling……Page 146
5.10 Exercises……Page 149
6 Spectroscopy with CCDs……Page 151
6.1 Review of spectrographs……Page 153
6.2 CCD spectrographs……Page 158
6.3 CCD spectroscopy……Page 162
6.4 Signal-to-noise calculations for spectroscopy……Page 166
6.5 Data reduction for CCD spectroscopy……Page 167
6.6 Extended object spectroscopy……Page 173
6.7 Slitless spectroscopy……Page 175
6.8 Exercises……Page 181
7 CCDs used in space and at short wavelengths……Page 183
7.1 CCDs in space……Page 185
7.2 Radiation damage in CCDs……Page 191
7.3 CCDs in the UV and EUV (300–3000 Å) spectral range……Page 195
7.4 CCDs in the X-ray (