CCD, sCMOS & EMCCD Cameras for X-ray and EUV

Biology & Life Science

By exploiting the power of the water window region of the electromagnetic spectrum in which water is transparent to X-rays 282 eV (carbon K-edge) – 533 eV (oxygen K-edge) it is possible to study organic species in vivo cryogenically suspended to preserve their natural shape and structure. X-rays offer a unique non-destructive, in situ and in operando diagnostic technique to study the structure and biology of organic samples without the degradation often seen in electron microscopy techniques.

The advent of higher repetition rate lasers for high harmonic generation, synchrotron source upgrades and the development of X-ray free electron lasers is enabling brighter and higher repetition soft X-ray sources for the characterisation of organic species. Andor’s market leading sCMOS Marana-X camera combines the exceptional speed of sCMOS technology with low noise, high dynamic range readout with unparalleled quantum efficiency to meet the increasingly demanding imaging requirements driven by these technological advances. Furthermore, Andor’s open front iKon CCD range also offers extremely low dark current, high dynamic range and low noise readout for flux starved environments.

Spectroscopy

Faster generation of high resolution spectra for the analysis of dynamic processes are of increasing importance at beamtime-limited synchrotrons and lab-based high energy sources facilities. The development of high dynamic range, rapid CCD and sCMOS cameras is already benefiting applications spanning from Material Science, Biology & Medical to High Harmonic Generated X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XANES).

The increasing brightness and coherence of high energy synchrotron and HHG facilities has seen increasing demand for high speed and sensitivity cameras to meet cutting edge research requirements. Andor has two product ranges specifically tailored to address these requirements:

• Soft X-ray energy range – Andor’s market leading direct detection sCMOS Marana-X camera is capable of acquiring a single line spectrum at up to 25,000 spectra per second with complimentary high dynamic range and outstanding quantum efficiency in the EUV – 1 keV range. Andor’s open fronted Newton spectroscopy camera range offers unparalleled low noise, high quantum efficiency and high dynamic range readout.
• Hard X-ray energy range - Andor’s ZL41 Wave (lens or fibre-coupled) and large area Balor (lens-coupled) sCMOS platforms provide simultaneously low noise and fast acquisition rates up to kHz suitable for low and high X-ray photons flux applications, as well as modular interfaces to a wide range of scintillators and low-energy filters. Andor’s iKon CCD range (lens or fibre-coupled) offers large field of view, low dark current and low noise readout for flux starved applications.

Imaging & Tomography

Faster generation of high resolution, high contrast 3D X-ray tomographic reconstruction and real time imaging of fast processes are of increasing importance at beamtime-limited synchrotrons and lab-based high energy sources facilities, benefiting applications spanning from Material Science, Biology & Medical, Energy (including fuel cells/batteries/engines) to Fluid Dynamics.

With the advent of high repetition high harmonic generation lasers and the increasing brightness of laboratory based and synchrotron sources, high speed and sensitivity cameras are increasingly required to meet cutting edge research requirements. Andor has two product ranges specifically tailored to address these requirements:

• Soft X-ray energy range – Andor’s market leading direct detection sCMOS Marana-X camera provides rapid 74 fps frame rates, high dynamic range and outstanding quantum efficiency in the EUV – 1 keV range. Andor’s large field of view iKon open fronted CCD range enable large fields of view, high dynamic range and deep cooling for direct X-ray detection up to 20 keV.
• Hard X-ray energy range - Andor’s ZL41 Wave (lens or fibre-coupled) and large area Balor (lens-coupled) sCMOS platforms provide simultaneously low noise and fast acquisition rates up to kHz suitable for low and high X-ray photons flux applications, as well as modular interfaces to a wide range of scintillators and low-energy filters. Andor’s iKon CCD range (lens or fibre-coupled) offers large field of view, low dark current and low noise readout for flux starved applications.

Materials Study

X-ray-based diagnostics can provide information on the inner structure, damages, authenticity, manufacturing and restoration processes of cultural heritage artefacts including for example metal objects (e.g. lead, bronze or iron-based weaponry or statues), ceramics, or samples combining metallic and organic materials (e.g. wood, adhesives, soil, leather, lacquer). It can also provide quantitative physiological investigation of fossilised artefacts.

In Geology, this technique can give information on rock formation processes, their crystal phases and behaviour with temperature and pressure, macroscopic strain/stresses/internal cracks, porous systems and flow systems. In planetary science, it can be used for the structural classification of iron-based meteorites.

Other applications relevant to this section include the study of structural robustness of construction material (cement/concrete), visualisation of moisture and multiphase flows in porous and hygroscopic medias, or study of engineered materials structural (e.g. crystalline phases, microstructures, heterogeneities, stress/strain/cracks through Bragg-edge, Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) or Grating Interferometry imaging techniques) and magnetic properties.

Andor has two product ranges specifically tailored to address the challenging requirements for energy and engineering X-ray diagnostics:

• Soft X-ray energy range – Andor’s market leading direct detection sCMOS Marana-X camera provides rapid 74 fps frame rates, high dynamic range and outstanding quantum efficiency in the EUV – 1 keV range. Andor’s large field of view iKon open fronted CCD range enable large fields of view, high dynamic range and deep cooling for direct X-ray detection up to 20 keV.
• Hard X-ray energy range - Andor’s ZL41 Wave (lens or fibre-coupled) and large area Balor (lens-coupled) sCMOS platforms provide simultaneously low noise and fast acquisition rates up to kHz suitable for low and high X-ray photons flux applications, as well as modular interfaces to a wide range of scintillators and low-energy filters. Andor’s iKon CCD range (lens or fibre-coupled) offers large field of view, low dark current and low noise readout for flux starved applications.

Energy & Engineering

By exploiting the high penetration power of X-rays, non-destructive, in situ and in operando diagnostics can be undertaken to study dynamic chemical processes and flow in enclosed engineered systems, or study the integrity and quality of high precision mechanical components.

X-ray-based diagnostics is appealing to the Automotive, Aerospace and manufacturing industries. It provides a diagnostics tool for quality control and mechanical integrity verification of engineered parts (e.g. engine parts, turbine and rotor blades). Bragg-edge, Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) imaging techniques are typically used to identify strain/stress/cracks in the bulk material.

Other areas of interest for using X-ray diagnostics include the spatial and temporal analysis of chemical processes (e.g. corrosion, chemical processes product deposition) and flows/multi-phase flows (e.g. water or oil flows) within combustion engines and fuel injection systems or electrochemical energy storage and conversion systems e.g. ion-Lithium batteries or fuel cells.

Andor has two product ranges specifically tailored to address the challenging requirements for energy and engineering X-ray diagnostics:

• Soft X-ray energy range – Andor’s market leading direct detection sCMOS Marana-X camera provides rapid 74 fps frame rates, high dynamic range and outstanding quantum efficiency in the EUV – 1 keV range. Andor’s large field of view iKon open fronted CCD range enable large fields of view, high dynamic range and deep cooling for direct X-ray detection up to 20 keV.
• Hard X-ray energy range - Andor’s ZL41 Wave (lens or fibre-coupled) and large area Balor (lens-coupled) sCMOS platforms provide simultaneously low noise and fast acquisition rates up to kHz suitable for low and high X-ray photons flux applications, as well as modular interfaces to a wide range of scintillators and low-energy filters. Andor’s iKon CCD range (lens or fibre-coupled) offers large field of view, low dark current and low noise readout for flux starved applications.