Astronomical characterization results of 1024 x 1024 HgCdTe HAWAII detector arrays

摘要

Abstract: The first prototype of a HgCdTe infrared detector array with 1024 $MUL 1024 pixels developed by the Rockwell International Science Center has been tested in a new infrared camera at the UH 2.2 m telescope, the 0.6 m telescope, and the CFHT. At the 2.2 m tests were conducted both at f/31, where images of very high resolution were obtained using tip-tilt correction, and at f/10 for a wide field of view. At the CFHT both wide field imaging (f/8) and adaptive optics work was done. The HAWAII (HgCdTe astronomical wide area infrared imager) prototype device achieved very good performance. In the camera system, a double correlated readnoise of 15 e$+$MIN$/ rms was achieved. The dark current at 1 V bias could be confirmed to be below 1 e$+$MIN$/, even though the device was operated above 77 K. The quantum efficiency is slightly below 50% and shows the wavy pattern characteristic of LPE-grown HgCdTe. The full well capacity is above 10$+5$/ e$+$MIN$/ at 1 V bias, limited in our system by the dynamic range of the A/D converter. Data reduction is practically identical to what is used for NICMOS3 256 $MUL 256 devices. Combined integration times of more than 1 hour have been used and demonstrate that the HAWAII devices are suitable for very deep imaging. The residual excess dark current problem known from NICMOS3 devices is not fully resolved. However, it appears less serious in our first HAWAII prototype device. !7