High speed imager test station

Patent · Tue Nov 14 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:131910

Yates, G J; Albright, K L; Turko, B T

A test station enables the performance of a solid state imager (herein called a focal plane array or FPA) to be determined at high image frame rates. A programmable waveform generator is adapted to generate clock pulses at determinable rates for clock light-induced charges from a FPA. The FPA is mounted on an imager header board for placing the imager in operable proximity to level shifters for receiving the clock pulses and outputting pulses effective to clock charge from the pixels forming the FPA. Each of the clock level shifters is driven by leading and trailing edge portions of the clock pulses to reduce power dissipation in the FPA. Analog circuits receive output charge pulses clocked from the FPA pixels. The analog circuits condition the charge pulses to cancel noise in the pulses and to determine and hold a peak value of the charge for digitizing. A high speed digitizer receives the peak signal value and outputs a digital representation of each one of the charge pulses. A video system then displays an image associated with the digital representation of the output charge pulses clocked from the FPA. In one embodiment, the FPA image is formatted to a standard video format for display on conventional video equipment. 12 figs.

• Research Organization: University of California
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• Assignee: Univ. of California, Office of Technology Transfer, Alameda, CA (United States)
• Patent Number(s): US 5,467,128/A/
• Application Number: PAN: 8-183,544
• OSTI ID: 131910
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

44 INSTRUMENTATION
INCLUDING NUCLEAR AND PARTICLE DETECTORS
ANALOG SYSTEMS
DESIGN
DIGITIZERS
IMAGE PROCESSING
IMAGE TUBES
IMAGES
PERFORMANCE TESTING
TEST FACILITIES