科學級相機和光譜儀制造商牛津儀器Andor Technology，正式發布全新iKon-XL大靶面CCD相機，iKon-XL相機采用的“ColdSpace”技術可以將背照式16.8M超大靶面，背照式CCD芯片（e2v）制冷到-100℃，無需液氮或者制冷機。iKon-XL可應用于系外行星搜尋，大尺度巡天，測光，天文光譜，空間碎片追蹤，是理想的天文觀測相機。
此外，iKon-XL相機平臺具有創新性的寬動態范圍技術，采用高達18bit的A/D，在一次讀出中即得到的讀出噪聲和的滿井容量。其標配USB3.0或遠距離光纖接口，連接方式靈活。成像信息可以選擇通過單通道或者四通道讀出，四通道讀出的穩定性得益與其特殊的電路設計和均衡的圖像象限平衡。
此次發布的這臺高靈敏度相機平臺使用來自e2v的兩款芯片：CCD231-84和CCD230-80， 具有高達95%的量子效率，NIR增強的深耗盡芯片，低至2e-的讀出噪聲，高達350Ke-滿井容量。-100℃制冷溫度保證了低于黃道光背景的極低暗電流，可以滿足對弱信號的長時間曝光拍攝。
牛津儀器Andor成像產品經理Colin Coates博士評價道：“iKon-XL是一款性能*，設計成熟的‘一站式服務’探測器，該款相機很少需要維護，使用壽命很長，將置于觀察站并通過遠程操控使用。即使在嚴苛的觀測環境下，也可以將此產品視作理想的“現成”解決方案。
牛津儀器將繼續以支持中國科學研究發展為己任，為中國廣大科研人員提供高性能、高可靠性的Andor相關設備；同時牛津儀器的服務團隊也可以為用戶提供系列服務套餐，包括配件和耗材、延保合同、產品培訓、服務維修和技術支持。
iKon-XL 231
Andor’s NEW iKon-XL is a TE-cooled, very large area CCD camera platform, accommodating big field of view sensors that are ideally suited to long exposure astronomy applications. Patent-pending ColdSpace™ technology thermoelectrically cools a back-illuminated 16.8 Megapixel sensor (e2v) down to -100 °C, avoiding the requirement for liquid nitrogen or unreliable cryo coolers. Extended Dynamic Range technology is complemented by up to 18-bit digitization capability.
The iKon-XL 231 model uses the e2v CCD231-84 ‘astro’ back-illuminated sensor, combining exceptionally low read noise of 2.1 e- with a very large well depth of 350,000 e- and available with a range of sensor QE coatings, in both standard and deep depletion formats.
– 100 °C TE cooled large area sensors
NO liquid nitrogen, NO cryo-cooler
Extended Dynamic Range (18-bit)
e2v CCD231-84 sensor (deep depletion available)
iKon-XL 230
Andor’s NEW iKon-XL is a TE-cooled, very large area CCD camera platform, accommodating big field of view sensors that are ideally suited to long exposure astronomy applications. Patent-pending ColdSpace™ technology thermoelectrically cools a back-illuminated 16.8 Megapixel sensor (e2v) down to -100 °C, avoiding the requirement for liquid nitrogen or unreliable cryo coolers. The iKon-XL 230 model uses the e2v CCD230-84 back-illuminated sensor, offering a very large 61.4 x 61.4 mm imaging area from a 4096 x 4096 array format and 15 μm pixel size, ideal for applications such as Astronomy or X-ray/Neutron radiography.
– 100 °C TE cooled large area sensors
NO liquid nitrogen, NO cryo-cooler
Extended Dynamic Range (18-bit)
e2v CCD230-84 sensor
