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Home > Products > sCMOS Camera Selection > TE-cooled 9.4MPix Back Illuminated sCMOS Camera with Ultra-low Read Noise for Photon-counting Applications
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TE-cooled 9.4MPix Back Illuminated sCMOS Camera with Ultra-low Read Noise for Photon-counting Applications

Key Features:

  • 4096 x 2300 Pixel Array
  • Ultra Low Read Noise – suitable for Photon Counting applications
    • 0.3e– Median Read Noise in slow-scan mode [30fps]
    • 0.4e– Median Read Noise in fast-scan mode [122fps]
  • Up to 23,300:1 Intrascene Dynamic Range
  • 122fps Maximum Frame Rate
  • QE = 85% (peak) at 500nm, good response from VIS-NIR
  • CameraLink HS (10G, Fiber Optic Link)

Suggested Applications:

  • Photon counting applications
  • fluorescence microscopy
  • Bioluminescence
  • single molecule localization microscopy
  • particle physics
  • calcium imaging
  • FRET
  • Quantum Computing (cold atom, trapped ion)
  • Biomaterials (heralded/ghost imaging)
  • Raman Spectroscopy
  • high throughput screening
  • Cherenkov imaging
  • biochip reading
  • TIRF microscopy
  • spinning disk confocal microscopy
  • chemiluminescence
  • super-resolution microscopy

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The pco.edge 9.4 bi is a cooled back-illuminated 9.4MPix (4096 x 2300) sCMOS camera with a high 85% Quantum Efficiency with good responsivity from the VIS through the NIR region. It has ultra-low read noise for use in Photon-counting applications. It also has a high frame rates and 16-bit digitization. The sensor incorporates microlenses and a full-pixel height deep trench isolation for suppressing crosstalk and achieving excellent modulation transfer function for highest image quality.

It is an excellent choice for Photon-counting experiments and in use-cases where it is critical to obtain a high Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) under low light conditions.  The image sensor provides a large image circle by using a high-resolution 9.4 MPixel image sensor with a square pixel size of 4.6 µm. An extremely low dark current and a readout noise of 0.3 electrons (in slow-scan mode)  and 0.4electrons in fast scanning mode. A low dark current of 0.4e-/p/s is achieved by thermal stabilization and active cooling of the sensor. Moreover, the sensor technology enables reduction of the noise peak and tail. Together with a high full well capacity, this camera offers a high intrascene dynamic range and high frame rates of up to 122 fps with transmission via a fiber optical link.

The pco.edge 9.4 bi can be operated as an air-cooled camera, or it can be water-cooled with the (optional) addition of a pco Aquamatic III water-cooling system.

The pco.edge 9.4 bi camera is equipped with four CLHS FOL channels – all aligned in one compact plug – capable of transmitting up to 4.9 GByte/s. CLHS is a new, high-performance data interface, which uses fiber optics to achieve robust, high-speed data transmission over distances that can be hundreds of meters long.

Interface:

  • CameraLink HS (10G FOL: Fiber Output Link)
Image Sensor sCMOS monochrome (Back Illuminated)
Pixels (H x V) 4096 x 2300
Max. Frame Rate (fps) at full resolution Slow scan: 30 | Medium scan: 60 | Fast scan: 122
Pixel Size (µm)  4.6 x 4.6
Image Sensor dimensions (mm) 18.8 x 10.6 (diagonal: 21.6)
Peak QE (monochrome) 85% @ 500nm
Spectral Range (nm) 400 - 1100
Full Well Capacity (e-) 7000
Readnoise (e-) Slow scan: 0.3 med, 0.4 rms | Medium scan: 0.4 med, 0.5 rms | Fast scan: 0.5 med, 0.6 rms
Dark Current (e-/p/s) @ 10°C sensor temperature 0.4
A/D conversion factor (e-/DN) 0.11
Intrascene Dynamic Range Slow scan 23,300 : 1 | Medium scan: 16,200 : 1 | Fast scan: 13,000 : 1
Dynamic Range A/D (bits) 16
Bit depth 16
Shutter Type Rolling Shutter (RS)
Exposure range (*) Slow scan: 28.9 µs - 1 s | Medium scan: 14.5 µs - 1 s | Fast scan: 7.1 µs - 1 s
Time Stamp In image (1μs resolution)
TE-Cooling  Forced air and water: +10°C stabilized
Camera Interface CameraLink HS Fiber Optic Link (FOL)
Binning horizontal x1, x2, x4 (average, sum)
Binning vertical x1, x2, x4 (average, sum)
ROI horizontal steps of 32 columns
ROI vertical steps of 4 rows
Trigger input signals frame trigger, acquire (SMA connectors)
Trigger output signals exposure, busy (SMA connectors)
Software pco.camware
SDK pco.sdk Included
3rd Party Software support LabVIEW, MATLAB, Micro-Manager and others
Optical Interface C-mount | Optional: F-mount, TFL-mount | Optional Lens Remote Controller: EF-mount, EF-S-mount (Canon)
Dimensions (mm) 90 x 95 x 109
Weight (grams) 1350
  • Use your mouse to read QE data at wavelengths of interest.
  • Right-click and drag to zoom-in along the X-axis to expand the view for a desired range of wavelength.
  • To pan left or right within a zoomed-in view, hold down the Shift key and use your mouse.
  • To revert from a zoomed-in view to a normal view, click on the “Reset zoom” button that is displayed at the top-RHS of the graph.

All QE values on this website are the best estimates available from various sources, and not necessarily from the manufacturer of the specific image sensor or from the manufacturer of the cameras in our Product Showcase. They represent the best estimates for the imagers by themselves, with the caveat that glass and other optics in the imaging path can significantly impact the spectral sensitivity of an imaging system.

As described on our Knowledge Base article on this subject, these values exist in a range. Therefore no absolute precision is implied, even when QE values are shown to two decimal places! These values and graphs are intended to be used for reference can be use for making useful comparisons between cameras. They are not intended to be a specification or a performance guarantee.

Using the method described in our Knowledge Base Article titled “How Diffraction Limits the Optical Resolution of a Microscope” one can estimate the performance of this camera when used in a microscope with commercially available microscope objectives. In the table below, it is assumed that the microscope is comprised of the objective and a tube lens with the correct focal length for the objective such that the nominal optical magnification of the microscope is the value that is specified for the objective.

Camera Parameters
Optical Format #Megapixels #H pixels #V pixels Pixel size (μm) H size (mm) V size (mm) Diagonal (mm)
4/3" 9.4 4096 2300 4.6 18.84 10.58 21.61
Commercially Available Objectives
Objective: Mag/NA 1X\0.03NA 2X\0.1NA 4X\0.13NA 10X\0.26NA 20X\0.5NA 40X\0.75NA 60X\0.85NA 100X\1.4NA
Min. feature size (um) 11.18 3.36 2.58 1.29 0.67 0.45 0.39 0.24
Max pix size (um) 5.59 3.36 5.16 6.45 6.70 9.00 11.70 12.00
FN (mm) 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22
WD (mm) 8 56.3 17.2 16 2.1 16 0.66 0.31-0.4
NA 0.03 0.1 0.13 0.26 0.5 0.75 0.85 1.4
Magnification 1 2 4 10 20 40 60 100
Estimated Performance of Camera and Objective Combinations
(*) Limiting Resolution (µm) 11.18 4.6 2.58 1.29 0.67 0.45 0.39 0.24
Vignetting? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
FOV (H x V) mm 18.84 x 10.58 9.42 x 5.29 4.71 x 2.65 1.88 x 1.06 0.94 x 0.53 0.47 x 0.26 0.31 x 0.18 0.19 x 0.11
FOV (diagonal) mm 21.61 10.81 5.4 2.16 1.08 0.54 0.36 0.22
Please contact our imaging experts for assistance in selecting a camera & objective combination that fulfils your FOV & resolution requirements at application-specific wavelengths.
1) The minimum feature size is estimated using the Rayleigh Criteria at λ = 550nm; it can be re-calculated for other wavelengths. R = 1.22*λ/(2NA)
2) The maximum pixel size is estimated by applying the Nyquist criteria to the minimum feature size as it appears on the imager plane. Maximum pixel size = R*magnification/2
3) Camera and Objective combinations which meet the Nyquist criteria and are therefore diffraction limited are indicated by showing the Limiting Resolution in green font. (*)
4) Values for Working Distance (WD) and Field Number (FN) are shown for reference only. Actual values may vary.
5) Vignetting, a darkening of the image at the corners, may be observed if the Imager Diagonal is larger than the Field Number of the Objective.

Optical Format #Megapixels #H pixels #V pixels Pixel size (μm) H size (mm) V size (mm) Diagonal (mm)
4/3" 9.4 4096 2300 4.6 18.84 10.58 21.61
In applications that require the best achievable optical resolution, it is desirable to use a lens with an optical resolution ≥ 108.7 lp/mm for an image sensor with a pixel size of 4.6μm. This will ensure that the optical resolution of the camera & lens combination is Nyquist-limited by the pixel-size of the camera, and not by the quality of the lens.

The imager in this camera has a diagonal of 21.6mm, which makes it compatible with the 4/3″ optical format.

The optical resolution of the lenses shown exceed the limiting optical resolution of 108.7 lp/mm imposed by the 4.6μm pixels and therefore all these lenses meet the Nyquist criteria at the center, but not necessarily at the periphery. The limiting resolution for the camera and lens system (shown in the table below as the minimum resolvable feature) is therefore set by the camera, and not the lens.

Notes:
The working distance (WD) is defined as the distance from the object plane to the front of the lens.
The above are theoretical estimates provided for reference, and are not a guarantee of performance. Actual FOVs and optical resolution are best determined by experiment.
FOV dimensions and min. resolvable feature sizes are estimated with the object plane placed at the minimum WD of the lens. A similar calculation may be performed for longer WDs. Please contact us for assistance: our specialists can help you identify a lens that meets your FOV requirements at a Working Distance that is convenient for your workflow.
Increasing the WD will result in larger FOVs, and lower optical resolution (an increase in the smallest resolvable feature size).
(*) The system meets Nyquist criteria if the optical resolution at the center of the lens (in lp/mm) is ≥ the pixel-size limited resolution (see above).
(**) The minimum resolvable feature size is estimated based on whether the lens meets the Nyquist criterion. If the Nyquist limit is met, then the resolution of the system is the estimated to be the distance on the sample plane that corresponds to two pixels in the image plane. If not, it is estimated based on the limiting resolution of the lens.
The method used in the above table is detailed in the linked knowledge base article titled "Choosing a Lens to meet FOV and WD requirements"

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Cage Code: 9LW84UEI: P95ZTNC5JR98