A CMOS visible image sensor with non-destructive readout capability

Abstract

An experimental camera system equipped with a novel CMOS image sensor suitable for ground-based astronomy that has both destructive and non-destructive readout capability will be described and the performance characteristics including readout noise, dark current, quantum efficiency, will be given. The optimum data collection algorithms to achieve reduced effective readout noise, cosmic ray rejection, and expanded dynamic range will be described. The ability to use destructive readout in select rows to acquire data for telescope guiding while the main part of the sensor is read using non-destructive readout for main image acquisition will be discussed.