Characterization of solid state array cameras for the mid-IR

Abstract

We present a characterization of some processes affecting the performance of solid state array cameras designed for ground based astronomical imaging in the 8–13μm atmospheric window. Our discussion includes a novel model for electron-hole generationrecombination noise based on the probable pathlength of an electron in a photoconductor. We use the Berkeley mid-IR Array Camera as an example. For this camera, the results show that the total optical system composed of the camera, a 3m telescope, and the atmosphere has an efficiency of about 3%, a 1σ noise equivalent flux density of 25 mJy min^−1/2arcsec⁻² measured over a Δλ/λ=10% band width, and a noise equivalent expressed as the ambient temperature thermal black body noise of 23%.