Description
Low dark current - Back Illuminated - Deep-Depletion Technology
New! HYPER-Nova spectrometers offer high performance spectroscopy measurements in a compact form factor. HYPER-Nova spectrometers use a Low Dark Current Deep-Depletion (LDC-DD) technology to provide lower background noise than is possible with traditional back- illuminated technologies. HYPER-Nova’s CCD detector is vacuum sealed and cooled to -60 °C with peak quantum efficiencies up to 95%! The HYPER-Nova comes in a variety of wavelength configurations including specialty configurations for Raman spectroscopy and custom low light applications.
HYPER-Nova-785 Spectrometers are our highest performance 785nm Raman spectrometers and include a back illuminated deep cooled, vacuum sealed, CCD array detector tuned for 785nm Raman.
HYPER-Nova-532 Spectrometers are our highest performance 532nm Raman spectrometers and include a back illuminated, vacuum sealed, and deep cooled CCD array detector tuned for 532nm Raman.
HYPER-Nova-UVIS are our highest performance broad range spectrometers and include a back illuminated, vacuum sealed, and deep cooled CCD array detector tuned for 300-1100nm
Interchangeable Slits Upgrades are available for HYPER-Nova optical benches to allow more application flexibility. High Scattering samples can be measured with the smallest slit for highest resolution and weak Raman can be measure with a larger slit to allow for increased light throughput.
Model Ranges and Resolutions
| HYPER-Nova Model | Wavelength Range | Resolution | LDC-DD Technology |
|---|---|---|---|
| HYPER-Nova-532 | 200-3,500 cm-1 | 7 cm-1 | Yes |
| HYPER-Nova-785 | 200-2,750 cm-1 | 4 cm-1 | Yes |
| HYPER-Nova-UVIS | 300-1100 nm | 1 nm | Yes |
Technical Specifications
| Optical Parameters | |
| Optical Resolution: | model dependent |
| Spectral Range: | model dependent |
| Diffraction Gratings: | 1200 g/mm with gold surface |
| Stray Light: | <0.05% |
| Optical Input: | SMA-905 |
| Detector & Electronics | |
| Detector Type: | LDC-DD CCD |
| Active Pixels: | 2000 x 256 |
| Pixel Size: | 15 x 15um |
| Active Pixel Well Depth | 150,000 e |
| Signal to Noise: | >3000:1 at looong exposure times |
| Physical | |
| Dimensions: | 10 x 9 x 6″ |
| Software & Interface | |
| Operating System: | Win XP, 7,8,10 |
| Interface: | USB-2 |
| Software: | Spectroscopy Pro-Tools |
Low Dark Current – Deep Depletion (LDC-CC) Technical Info
In front-illuminated CCDs, incoming photons must first transverse a polysilicon electrode structure and a silicon oxide (SiO) insulating layer (see diagram). The electrode structure can absorb and reflect part of the incoming photon flux before it reaches the ~ 15 μm thick photosensitive region. This absorption is extremely pronounced in the ultraviolet (< 350 nm), but also limits the peak QE of such devices to around 50% in the visible.
In order to eliminate the losses incurred at the front surface, a back illuminated (BI, Back-thinned) configuration can be adopted. When a device is back-thinned, the bulk substrate is removed by mechanical grinding and chemical etching so that light can enter from the back surface directly into the active photosensitive region. These devices can exhibit peak QE of up to 95% with appropriate anti-reflection (AR) coatings.
Standard back-illuminated, deep-depletion (BI-DD) CCDs offer quantum efficiencies (QE) up to 95% in the near-infrared (NIR) This makes them the detector of choice for photoluminescence, Raman or plasmonics spectroscopy in the 500 – 1,100nm range. One disadvantage of deep-depletion devices has been a significant associated increase in dark current (~100 times) compared to standard back-illuminated, visible-optimized CCDs. A new generation of Low Dark-Current, Deep-Depletion (LDC-DD) CCDs now overcomes this limitation, and challenges the need for liquid-nitrogen (LN2)-cooling for low photon applications.
Our HYPER-Nova TE-cooled CCD can achieve -75°C, while offering great advantages:
- Maintenance-free operation – no need for regular LN2 refilling and associated safety concerns – ideal for 24/7 industrial applications
- Transportability – ideal for integration into modular instrumentation
- Lasting performance – sensor sits in vacuum and is protected from any degradation that could result in loss of QE
- Low cost
