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Home > Products > Intensified sCMOS Cameras > pco.dicam C2 Dual Channel Intensified sCMOS Camera
pco.dicam-3

pco.dicam C2 Dual Channel Intensified sCMOS Camera

Key Features:

  • 2-channel Intensified sCMOS Camera
  • 25 mm image intensifier
  • Exposure times down to 4 ns
  • 2048 x 2048 pixel
  • 212 fps @ full resolution
  • Enhanced extinction ratio gating

Suggested Applications:

  • Ballistic imaging/Projectile imaging: High resolution, Accurate triggering

  • Nonlinearity of electrical discharge dynamics: High resolution, Accurate triggering

  • Hyper velocity impact studies: High resolution, Accurate triggering with the acquisition of Multiple frames

  • Combustion imaging – Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) and chemiluminescence

    • PLIF (Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence Imaging) – Flow and Spray Analysis

    • High resolution, short exposure time capabilities, Good extinction ratio under UV/Blue wavelengths

    • Double shutter capabilities

  • Dynamic Neutron Radiography

  • Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV)

  • Nanotechnology

  • Quantum Physics

  • Plasma Diagnostics / Imaging: Short exposure time capabilities, Low jitter, external triggering

  • LIBS (Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy)

  • Spectroscopy

 

Product Documents

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The pco.dicam C2 series has two image intensifiers, each coupled to a sCMOS sensor. An efficient tandem lens provides the critical optical interface between the high-resolution 25 mm image intensifiers and the 16 bit sCMOS sensors. With pco.dicam C2, it is possible to detect individual photons using the shortest exposure times.

The innovative photonics of this camera series is supplemented with the use of a high-performance data interface, enabling data transmission over long distances via fiber optic cable. These cameras use a Camera Link HS (10G fiber optic data interface) which guarantees the secure transmission of uncompressed data.

Photocathode options: select the Photocathode material that matches the spectral requirements of your application. Details are provided in the “Photocathode Selection” tab.

  • S20: responsive in the deep UV region, with a wide sensitivity range up to 800 nm
  • GaAs: well suited for the VIS and NIR regions of the spectrum
  • GaAsP: a good match for the visible range of 450 – 700nm

Phosphor options: select the Phosphor option that matches the temporal dynamics of your application. Details are provided in the “Phosphor Selection” tab.

  • P43: a good choice for very low-light applications in which the image is static, or changing very slowly
  • P46: ideal for fast applications and/or applications in which it is critical to capture multiple images over 1000f/sec. Also well suited for PIV/PTV or other flow visualization applications involving double-shuttering.

Image Intensifier Grades: details are provided in the “Standard/Selected Grades” tab

  • Standard
  • Select
Features Benefits
212 frames/s @ full 4.2 MPixel resolution high frame rates at high resolution for imaging of dynamic processes
1.1 e- readout noise lowest readout noise of any gated intensified camera system
16 bit digitization taking advantage of the higher dynamic range possible from high end image intensifiers
Two 25 mm high resolution image intensifiers doubles the optical resolution of conventional 18 mm image intensifiers
optical coupling via ultra-speed tandem lens outstanding image quality with high transmission efficiency and no artifacts
tandem lens with 0.53 : 1 image scaling full 25 mm diameter of intensifier output is lossless imaged onto sCMOS sensor
20G fiber optic based data interface fiber optical interface virtually covers any distance without deploying additional interface converters or signal amplifiers with immunity to EMI
2 x 880 MByte/s image data rate  highest sustained image data rate of any intensified camera system on the market; no limitations for recording duration
double shutter mode with 300 ns interframing time two consecutive full resolution images with a configurable minimum interframing time of 300 ns on each of the 2 channels
4.2 MPix sCMOS sensor overcomes CCD limitations in terms of speed and sensitivity
enhanced extinction ratio gating  fast MCP gating for improved extinction ratio for the blue and uv part of the spectrum
additional optical trigger input robust trigger transmission over long distance in EMC critical environments
EF lens control convenient remote lens control for camera systems inaccessible during an experiment
selected highly homogeneous image intensifiers uses best image intensifier quality available on the market
50 ns trigger to exposure start delay ultra-fast camera reaction to trigger event
4 ns gating with 25 mm intensifier captures fast transient phenomena
extensive and highly precise IN/OUT signaling allows for perfect synchronization in any experimental set-up as timing master or slave
configurable delay in steps of 1 ns flexible adaptation to synchronization needs
Number of channels 2
type of image sensor sCMOS
Exposure times 4ns – 1s
Image acquisition 2 images in 8 ns 4 images in less than 1 µs. 
Coupling (from phosphor to imager) Optical, via fast, tandem lens configuration
resolution (h x v): active pixels 2048 x 2048 
fps @ full resolution: continuous imaging 212
max fps @ 2048 x16 pixel 13,500
Intensifier diameter 25mm
QE of image sensor @ phosphor emission wavelength 57%
sensor format/diagonal 13.3 mm x 13.3 mm/ 18.8 mm
Photocathode material S20, GaAs, GaAsP (others on request)
Phosphor screen material P43 or P46
Insertion delay: trigger input to exposure out  19 ns
Insertion delay: trigger input to optical open 49 ns
Extinction Ratio gating Enhanced
Double shutter mode 300 ns ... 10 ms (in 10 ns steps) inter-frame time
dynamic range 30,000 : 1 (P43)
Bit depth 16-bits
readout noise 1.1 e- rms
Lens (sold separately) F-mount, Cmount or EF mount
Host interface Up to 3.4 GBytes/sec: 4 x 10G fiber optic data interface (Camera Link HS)

Photocathode response determines the spectral sensitivity of the camera.
The following graph, which was obtained with permission of Hamamatsu Photonics, shows the Spectral Sensitivities of different photocathode materials: S20 (multialkali), GaAs, GaAsP.

Photocathodes made of S20 material are responsive in the deep UV region and has a rather wide sensitivity range – up to 800 nm. GaAsP is well suited for the visible range of 450 to 700 nm, and GaAs covers VIS and NIR regions of the spectrum.

As shown in the graph below, the emission wavelengths of both P43 and P46 phosphors are fairly well matched to the QE response of the sCMOS image sensor.

Phosphor selection is typically made on the basis of the dynamics of the intended application. The main differences between the P43 & P46 phosphors are:

  • decay time
  • efficiency

Phosphor efficiency and dynamics

Phosphor Phosphor decay to Peak emission Typical efficiency
10% 1%
P43 1ms 4ms 545nm 100%
P46 0.2 - 0.4µs 2µs 530nm 30%

Various combinations of photocathode materials and phosphors are available within the pco.dicam series of intensified sCMOS cameras. While the P43 phosophor has a much brighter emission than the P46 phosophor, it has a rather long decay time, i.e. the time required until the phosphor emission fades out after the excitation by electron bombardment has been stopped. This decay time is critical for obtaining fast image repetition rates, primarily in double-image (PIV) applications. A slowly decaying phosphor might retain image information from a previous exposure which could add to the image of the next exposure. This has the effect of contaminating an image with information from the previous exposure. The decay time of a phosphor is also critical when operating the camera in spectroscopic mode with line rates in the kHz range.

To summarize:

P43 is a good choice for very low-light applications in which the image is static, or changing very slowly.

For fast applications in which it is desirable to capture multiple images over 1000fps, P46 is a better choice.

In PIV or PTV or other flow visualization application where the double image (double shutter) option may be useful, the P46 is a better choice as it decays to 10% in 200 – 400ns.  

Image intensifiers with GaAs and GaAsP photocathode are offered by the manufacturer in two quality grades:

Standard: The quality of the intensifier is specified for central 16 mm x 16 mm square region corresponding to a central 1300 x 1300 pixel region of the sCMOS sensor.

Selected: The quality of the intensifier is specified for 24.9 mm diameter area corresponding to the full 2048 x 2048 pixel sCMOS sensor area. In addition, the extinction ratio for “selected” grade image intensifiers is 10 times higher than that of “standard” grade.

Image intensifiers with S20 photocathodes are exclusively of “selected” grade, which means that by specifying S20 photocathodes (which are suitable for deep UV up to 800nm), one gains the additional benefit of higher quality AND higher extinction ratio. Contact us for further details on the two quality grades

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