Welcome to Micro Photonics Home Page
Return results
 Photonic Science Intensified 
Digital X-ray CCD Camera
The  X-Ray Gemstar Camera has been designed for fast digital imaging with a 1392x1040 pixel interline CCD. Runs at up to 20 MHz 12 frames/second
 
The X-Ray Gemstar is an intensified X-ray CCD camera with a choice of 18mm or 40mm diameter image intensifier. 
Very high-resolution image intensifiers with high response in the blue and green region of the spectrum are used. The choice of the image intensifier (18 or 40mm) is dictated by the input image size.

Features of Gemstar X-Ray Cameras
  • Fast Digital imaging, high dynamic sensitivity
  • Input sizes from 18 mm to 50 mm with 18 mm intensifier and 40 mm to 150 mm with 40 mm intensifier.
  • On-chip pixel binning, sub-area readout and up to 1392 x 1040 pixel resolution at 12-bit digitization.
  • Scintillator: Polycrystalline layer of gadolinium oxysulphide with full range energy response from 5keV to > 100 keV and 15 mg/cm2 density for optimized response at 5 - 25 kev X-ray energy. The scintillator is applied directly to input face of (micro) fiber-optic coupler for maximum light transfer efficiency.
  • High sensitivity interline transfer scientific grade CCD with 1392 x 1040 pixels (6.45µm x 6.45 µm pixels, 8 e- rms readout noise, 22k e- full well capacity)
  • Dynamic range >10bit (RMS noise in darkness, <1 @10-bit / 20MHz digitization, <4 @ 12-bit / 10 MHz digitization)
  • Direct coupling of coherent micro-fiber optic input to CCD sensor for maximum light transfer efficiency.
  • Built in pulse generator allows control of gate width, delay and interval.
  • Highly flexible mode of operation with user (software) selectable controls for: Selectable readout rates of 10 MHz @ 12-bit digitization and 20 MHz @ 10-bit digitization.
    Binning (independently in X & Y) from 1x1 to 63x63
    Sub-area readout (selectable in both X & Y)
    Selectable CCD gain from X1 to X10 in 100 steps.
This camera uses high resolution scientific image intensifiers where the input photo-cathode is selected to match the light output of the scintillator. 18mm and 40 mm diameter intensifier tubes are offered depending on the input size of the system.  Internally the intensifier is directly coupled to a  coherent micro fiber-optic which transfers the light to the CCD sensor with maximum efficiency. Careful design throughout the X-Ray GemStar camera ensures both maximum contrast and excellent dynamic sensitivity are available to the user.

With >1.3 million active pixels the GemStar gives excellent resolution, producing images with superb detail.  The user has 100:1 gain control of the intensifier and 10:1 of the CCD gain. Windowing and binning are defined by the user. There is a built in pulse generator to allow control of gate width, gate delay, gate interval, and number of gate cycles per image exposure. An accurate fast trigger mode is available where image exposure is precisely timed relative to the request for the image. This is triggered by hardware or software for synchronization with fast stepper motors or scanning systems. 

A fast 20 MHz read-out mode, flexible on-chip binning (from 1x1 to 63x63 binning) and user definable sub-area readout, the X-Ray GemStar is able to produce high frame rate images. This makes "real-time" X-ray digital imaging both possible and practical as a powerful experimental technique.


 SPECIFICATIONS X-ray GemStar
Scintillator Aluminum foil light exclusion membrane in front of scintillator layer
Scintillator layer applied directly to input of (micro) fiber-optic coupler for maximum efficiency
Polycrystalline layer of Gadolinium Oxysulphide with full range energy response from 5 keV to > 100 keV:
15 mg/cm2 layer density as standard for optimized resolution/absorption for 5 - 25 keV x-ray energies.
Optimization on request for other x-ray energy ranges and/or different characteristics.
Bonding Fiber optic input (taper) with direct coherent bond to input of intensifier
Input size 18 mm or 40 mm input / output diameter,  low noise, high performance Gen 2+ intensifier.
  Input photocathode selected to match light output from scintillator
Binning On chip binning - user selectable: from 1 x 1 to 63 x 63
Sub Area Readout Sub-area readout - user selectable in X and Y
CCD Sensor  Progressive Scan Interline Transfer Sony ICX085AL CCD sensor
CCD size 1392 (h) x 1040 (v) pixels, 6.45 um square
Shutter Integral electronic shutter
Power Mains input voltage: Via control unit, nominally 110/220 V ac auto-sensing
Dynamic range >10bit (RMS noise in darkness, < 1 @10-bit / 20MHz digitization, < 4@ 12-bit / 10 MHz digitization)
  • Up to 10 full frames per second (or up to > 100 frames per second with binning)
  • User selectable video gain over nominal 10:1 range in 100 programmable steps.
  • User selectable intensifier gain over nominal 100:1 range in 100 programmable step.
Resolution Varies with input size and scintillator layer specification

 

X-RAY GEMSTAR IMAGE ACQUISITION SYSTEM
High performance PCI bus frame grabber with (16-bit) digital input module
PhotoLite image acquisition, enhancement and database software for 
Windows 98 / ME / NT / Windows 2000 Professional.

Single user license with software drivers for Gemstar and frame grabber giving user selectable software control of:
  • Video Gain in 100 (arbitrary) steps over approx. 10:1 range
  • Sub-area readout to be acquired
  • On-CCD integration / exposure time from 5 us up to several minutes
  • On-chip binning from 1 x 1 to 63 x 63
  • Readout mode: either 10-bit @ 20Mhz or 12-bit @ 10Mhz
 

| Related Products | Home Page |

 Visit our X-Ray Micro-CT page

For further information fill out our on-line request form

info@microphotonics.com  or contact us at 1-866-334-4674 : 

Micro Photonics Inc. 
PO Box 3129 
Allentown, PA 18106-0129

Micro Photonics Inc.
PO Box 50443
Irvine, CA 92619-0443