Optimization of the point source detection properties of a Secondary Electron Conduction (SEC) vidicon TV camera tube as a detector of point light sources such as star fields or certain optical spectra requires the accurate determination of peak height, half‐peak width, background, and location of the point image. Two perpendicular Gaussian curves have been used to define a point image, allowing changes in the parameters of these Gaussian curves to be used in the study of SEC vidicon point source properties as a function of electrical and optical parameters. Peak height was shown to depend on priming time and a method was developed to reduce the priming time by almost an order of magnitude by momentarily raising the target voltage during priming. Power supply specifications needed for 0.1 pixel (picture element) addressing accuracy were found to be ±0.03 V. Focus current was optimized to obtain the best sensitivity and resolution over the entire target. Peak height, background, and half‐peak width were found to be strongly dependent on readout beam current. Target voltage, over the limited range examined, was found to affect only the gain without compromising other image parameters, so that any value could be used, consistent with gain and sensitivity required.
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