Zyla Chamber Design And Service Guidance

The Zyla sCMOS camera platform, like the majority of commercial sCMOS cameras on the market use a backfilled design to protect the sensor from condensation during moderate cooling used to reduce dark current. In fact, the only commercial sCMOS cameras on the market that utilize a hard metal-on-metal vacuum seal are Andor’s high-end deep-cooled Sona, Marana, Neo and Balor sCMOS platforms.

For back-filled designs, one expects a very low-level of moisture ingress into the sensor chamber over time, pervading through the O-ring seals. These cameras utilise desiccant material in the sensor enclosure to absorb any moisture that may enter. However, eventually the desiccant may become saturated, indicating the need for the camera’s sensor chamber to be serviced, whereupon the chamber will be re-backfilled and the desiccant replaced. Saturation of desiccant will result in condensation forming on the sensor or window when the sensor is thermoelectrically cooled under standard operation. This will typically manifest in images from the camera and can appear similar to the effect of rain drops on a window super-imposed onto the expected image. If water vapour or ice forms inside the sensor chamber when the camera is in operation, it is essential that the camera be turned off immediately in order not to risk irreparable damage to the sensor. Please contact Andor Product Support to arrange a Zyla chamber service.

In the Zyla specification sheets under the Operating and Storage Conditions that relate to temperature and humidity ranges, it is expected that Zyla would operate for at least 4 years and often much longer, before chamber condensation can be expected to present as an issue. Andor offer a standard pre-emptive Zyla chamber service that can be used to ensure moisture effects are never experienced during usage. Please Contact Andor Product Support to arrange a pre-emptive Zyla chamber service.

There is some anticipated variability as to when moisture ingress can be expected to present as an issue to camera performance following saturation of the desiccant, based on variability in environmental humidity and air flow around the camera. For example, while a camera may be operated in a dry air-conditioned laboratory environment throughout the working day, the laboratory air conditioning may be turned off overnight, during which the camera chamber can become exposed to high heat and humidity. Under such circumstances, backfilled cameras can be more exposed to elevated rates of moisture ingress into the sensor chamber and preemptive chamber service may be considered on a more frequent basis.