title: New generation photon-counting cameras: algol and CPNG.
abstract: Algol and Comptage de Photons Nouvelle Génération (CPNG) are new generation photon counting cameras developed for high angular resolution in the visible by means of optical aperture synthesis and speckle interferometry and for photon noise limited fast imaging of biological targets. They are intensified CCDs. They have been built to benefit from improvements in photonic commercial components, sensitivity, and personal computer workstations processing power. We present how we achieve optimal performances (sensitivity and spatiotemporal resolution) by the combination of proper optical and electronics design, and real-time elaborated data processing. The number of pixels is 532 x 516 and 1024(2) read at a frame rate of 262 and 100 Hz for CPNG and Algol, respectively. The dark current is very low: 5.5 x 10(-4) e(-) .pixel(-1). s(-1). The saturation flux is approximately 7 photon events /pixel/s. Quantum efficiencies reach up to 36% and 26% in the visible with the GaAsP photocathodes and in the red with the GaAs ones, respectively, thanks to the sensitivity of the photocathodes and to the photon centroiding algorithm; they are likely the highest values reported for intensified CCDs.
authors.affiliation: UMR 6525 H. Fizeau, Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, Campus Valrose, F-06108 Nice Cedex, France. alain.blazit@obs-azur.fr
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blazit
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Rondeau
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thiébaut
authors.forename: Lyu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Bernengo
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Chevassut
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Clausse
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dubois
authors.forename: Renaud
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Foy
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mourard
authors.forename: Fabien
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Patru
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spang
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tallon-Bosc
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tallon
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tourneur
authors.forename: Farrokh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vakili