No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

This thesis is concerned with the effects of radiation damage in CCDs used for space applications. The manufacturing process and operational principles of CCDs are presented in Chapter 2. The components of the space radiation environment, the two radiation damage mechanisms relevant to CCDs, and the effects of radiation on the operational characteristics of CCDs are described in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 presents a study to assess the suitability of novel L3Vision technology to applications in space. Two L3Vision CCDs were subjected to proton irradiations representative of doses expected to be received by spacecraft in low Earth orbit. Post-irradiation the devices were found to operate as expected, the effects of radiation on the operational characteristics of the devices being comparable to previous studies. The effect of low energy protons on CCDs is the subject of Chapter 5. The study was initiated in response to the finding that soft protons could be focused by the mirror modules of the XMM-Newton spacecraft onto the EPIC CCD detectors. Two EPIC devices were irradiated with protons of a few keV to find that soft protons cause more damage than that expected by the NIEL damage relationship, as they deposit most of their energy within the CCD. The observed change in CTI of the EPIC devices on XMM-Newton is however comparable to the pre-launch prediction, and the component attributable to low energy protons is small, < 20%. Chapter 6 presents a study of a specific radiation induced phenomenon, `Random Telegraph Signals'. Development of analysis software and the irradiation of two CCDs are discussed before a detailed characterisation of the generated RTS pixels is presented. The study shows that the mechanism behind RTS involves a bi-stable defect linked with the E-centre, in combination with the high field regions of a CCD pixel.

No description available.

A new optical imaging modality has been developed for small animal in vivo imaging of near-infrared fluorescence resulting from fluorescent contrast agents specifically targeted to molecular markers of cancer. The imaging system is comprised of an intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) for the detection of ultra-low levels of re-emitted fluorescence following the delivery of an expanded beam of excitation light. The design of the ICCD detection system allows for both continuous wave (CW) and frequency-domain modes of operation. Since the accurate acquisition of frequency-domain photon migration (FDPM) data is important for tomographic imaging, the imaging system was also validated using experimentally obtained FDPM measurements of homogenous turbid media and diffusion theory to obtain estimates of the optical properties characteristic of the media. The experiments demonstrated that the absorption and reduced scattering coefficients are determined least accurately when relative rel measurements of average light intensity IDC are employed either alone or in a rel combination with relative modulation amplitude data IAC and/or relative phase shift data rel . However, when FDPM measurements of are employed either alone or in rel combination with IAC data, the absorption and reduced scattering coefficients may be found accurate to within 15% and 11%, respectively, of the values obtained from standard single-pixel measurements; a result that suggests that FDPM data obtained from an ICCD detection system may in fact be useful in tomographic imaging. Furthermore, intensified-detection allows for sub-second exposure times, permitting the acquisition of dynamic fluorescence images immediately following administration of the contrast agent. Experimental results demonstrate that when coupled with a suitable pharmacokinetic model describing targeted dye distribution throughout the body, dynamic fluorescence imaging may be used to discriminate spontaneous canine adenocarcinoma from normal mammary tissue. A separate experiment demonstrates that pharmacokinetic analysis of dynamic fluorescence images enables one to estimate the rate constant governing Kaposi's sarcoma tumor uptake of an integrin-targeted dye and integrin receptor turnover rate. The rate constant for uptake was calculated to be 0.16-sec-1 while the turnover rate of the integrin receptor was estimated to occur within 24-hours.

Neste trabalho são apresentados os resultados obtidos no desenvolvimento de um sistema especificado para realizar testes na caracterização de dispositivos fotodetectores como fotodiodos de avalanche. O sistema de ensaios elaborado pretende auxiliar com na caracterização da fotodetecção em dispositivos de acoplamento de cargas com multiplicação de elétrons (EMCCD). O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar o desempenho dos dispositivos fotodetectores para caracterizar os parâmetros mais significativos no processo da transdução óptica de modo a colaborar no projeto da eletrônica embarcada de controle e leitura da informação contida no EMCCD. A tecnologia da multiplicação dos elétrons em dispositivos CCD e diodos de avalanche têm aplicações importantes na vigilância de ambiente de luminosidade reduzida, astronomia, além de outras aplicações de imagens científicas incluindo as de baixo nível de bioluminescência para identificação de drogas e aplicações da engenharia genética. Para efeito de avaliação do desempenho do sistema fotodetector foi necessário desenvolver uma infra-estrutura para ter controle adequado da temperatura de operação do EMCCD. Foram nomeadas as opções com uma montagem de resfriamento com células Peltier e uma opção por criogenia resfriada com nitrogênio líquido. Os resultados obtidos são úteis na detecção de sinais luminosos ultrafracos minimizando o ruído do detector na aquisição de imagens com o auxilio da instrumentação de um filtro óptico sintonizável que será integrado no telescópio SOAR de 4 metros, instalado no Chile, para observações melhoradas com óptica adaptativa. / This work presents the results obtained in the development of a system specified to perform tests in the characterization of photo-detectors devices such as avalanche photodiodes. The test system is prepared to contribute to the characterization of the photo-detection in charge-coupled devices with electron multiplication (EMCCD). The objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of photo-detectors devices to characterize the most significant parameters in the optic transduction in order to collaborate in the project of an embedded electronic system for controlling and reading the information contained with the EMCCD. The technology of the electron multiplication in CCD devices and avalanche diodes has important applications in monitoring the environment of low light, astronomy and other scientific imaging applications including the low level of bioluminescence for the identification of drugs and applications of genetic engineering. For purposes of assessing the performance of the photo-detector it was necessary to develop an infrastructure to have proper control of the operating temperature of the EMCCD. Options were named with a montage of Peltier cell cooling and a choice of cryogenically cooled with liquid nitrogen. The results are useful in the detection of ultra weak light signals while minimizing detector noise during the acquisition of images from instrument comprising an optical tunable filter, that will be integrated into SOAR 4 meters telescope, installed in Chile, for observations improved with adaptive optics.

Neste trabalho são apresentados os resultados obtidos no desenvolvimento de um sistema especificado para realizar testes na caracterização de dispositivos fotodetectores como fotodiodos de avalanche. O sistema de ensaios elaborado pretende auxiliar com na caracterização da fotodetecção em dispositivos de acoplamento de cargas com multiplicação de elétrons (EMCCD). O objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar o desempenho dos dispositivos fotodetectores para caracterizar os parâmetros mais significativos no processo da transdução óptica de modo a colaborar no projeto da eletrônica embarcada de controle e leitura da informação contida no EMCCD. A tecnologia da multiplicação dos elétrons em dispositivos CCD e diodos de avalanche têm aplicações importantes na vigilância de ambiente de luminosidade reduzida, astronomia, além de outras aplicações de imagens científicas incluindo as de baixo nível de bioluminescência para identificação de drogas e aplicações da engenharia genética. Para efeito de avaliação do desempenho do sistema fotodetector foi necessário desenvolver uma infra-estrutura para ter controle adequado da temperatura de operação do EMCCD. Foram nomeadas as opções com uma montagem de resfriamento com células Peltier e uma opção por criogenia resfriada com nitrogênio líquido. Os resultados obtidos são úteis na detecção de sinais luminosos ultrafracos minimizando o ruído do detector na aquisição de imagens com o auxilio da instrumentação de um filtro óptico sintonizável que será integrado no telescópio SOAR de 4 metros, instalado no Chile, para observações melhoradas com óptica adaptativa. / This work presents the results obtained in the development of a system specified to perform tests in the characterization of photo-detectors devices such as avalanche photodiodes. The test system is prepared to contribute to the characterization of the photo-detection in charge-coupled devices with electron multiplication (EMCCD). The objective of this study is to evaluate the performance of photo-detectors devices to characterize the most significant parameters in the optic transduction in order to collaborate in the project of an embedded electronic system for controlling and reading the information contained with the EMCCD. The technology of the electron multiplication in CCD devices and avalanche diodes has important applications in monitoring the environment of low light, astronomy and other scientific imaging applications including the low level of bioluminescence for the identification of drugs and applications of genetic engineering. For purposes of assessing the performance of the photo-detector it was necessary to develop an infrastructure to have proper control of the operating temperature of the EMCCD. Options were named with a montage of Peltier cell cooling and a choice of cryogenically cooled with liquid nitrogen. The results are useful in the detection of ultra weak light signals while minimizing detector noise during the acquisition of images from instrument comprising an optical tunable filter, that will be integrated into SOAR 4 meters telescope, installed in Chile, for observations improved with adaptive optics.

The development of a chip-based sensor array composed of individually addressable polystyrene-polyethylene glycol and agarose microspheres has been demonstrated. The microspheres are selectively arranged in micromachined cavities localized on silicon wafers. These cavities are created with an anisotropic etch and serve as miniaturized reaction vessels and analysis chambers. The cavities possess pyramidal pit shapes with trans-wafer openings that allow for both fluid flow through the microreactors/analysis chambers as well optical access to the chemically sensitive microspheres. Identification and quantification of analytes occurs via colorimetric and fluorescence changes to receptor and indicator molecules that are covalently attached to termination sites on the polymeric microspheres. Spectral data is extracted from the array efficiently using a charge-coupled device (CCD) allowing for the near-real-time digital analysis of complex fluids. The power and utility of this new microbead array detection methodology is demonstrated here for the analysis of complex fluids containing a variety of important classes of analytes including acids, bases, metal cations, sugars and antibody reagents. The application of artificial neural network analyses to the microbead array is demonstrated in the context of pH measurements. To assess the utility of the analysis and gain an understanding of the molecular level design of the sensor, parameters such as the choice of the indicator dyes, array size, data pre-processing techniques, as well as different network types and architectures were evaluated. Additionally, the development of miniaturized chromatographic systems localized within individual polymer microspheres and their incorporation into an array is reported. The integrated chromatographic and detection concept is based on the creation of distinct functional layers within the microspheres. Such beads have been incorporated into the array platform and used for speciation and concentration determination of aqueous metal cation solutions. / text

This thesis describes an investigation into the suitability of complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) active pixel sensor (APS) devices for scientific imaging applications. CMOS APS offer a number of advantages over the established charge-coupled device (CCD) technology, primarily in the areas of low power consumption, high-speed parallel readout and random (X-Y) addressing, increased system integration and improved radiation hardness. The investigation used a range of newly designed Test Structures in conjunction with a range of custom developed test equipment to characterise device performance. Initial experimental work highlighted the significant non-linearity in the charge conversion gain (responsivity) and found the read noise to be limited by the kTC component due to resetting of the pixel capacitance. The major experimental study investigated the contribution to dark signal due to hot-carrier injection effects from the in-pixel transistors during read-out and highlighted the importance of the contribution at low signal levels. The quantum efficiency (QE) and cross-talk were also investigated and found to be limited by the pixel fill factor and shallow depletion depth of the photodiode. The work has highlighted the need to design devices to explore the effects of individual components rather than stand-alone imaging devices and indicated further developments are required for APS technology to compete with the CCD for high-end scientific imaging applications. The main areas requiring development are in achieving backside illuminated, deep depletion devices with low dark signal and low noise sampling techniques.