Imager Control System (ICS)

XCAM Scientific’s Imager Control Systems are custom-designed and built to operate specific sensor models, providing advanced electronics capable of powering challenging sensors. This allows for early characterisation and testing of sensors before full system integration. The main board can be used in-air or in-vacuum, featuring a low-outgassing section for vacuum clamping. The ICS provides precise power, current, and voltages, allows user configuration of operating modes, and processes all data output from the detector, converting it into a digital format for PC display, analysis, or storage. Characterisation involves detailed electro-optic and radiation testing to understand and optimise sensor performance, measuring parameters like sensitivity, noise, gain, and response to light/radiation. Users can finely adjust bias voltages or signal timing for optimal performance. The system supports various sensor types, including 2k x 2k back-illuminated sensors (10 µm pixels, optimised for visible, UV, EUV), image sensors combining TDI CCD functionality on a CMOS chip, and the CIS 300 family of sensors up to 9k x 9k µm pixels. It is also suitable for high-performance stitched SWIR detectors for satellite instruments. All designs allow for positioning inside a vacuum chamber for cooled operation. Operation requires a DC power supply and a PC with a National Instruments (NI) data acquisition card. XCAM Scientific encourages direct contact to discuss specific requirements due to the complexity and varied operating modes of imaging sensors.