Miniature, vacuum compatible 1024×1024 charge‐coupled device camera for x‐ray, ultraviolet, or optical imaging

We have developed a very compact (60×60×75 mm3), vacuum compatible, large format (25×25 mm2, 1024×1024 pixels) charge-coupled device (CCD) camera for digital imaging of visible and ultraviolet radiation, soft to penetrating x rays (≤20 keV), and charged particles. This camera provides a suitable replacement for film with a linear response, dynamic range, and intrinsic signal-to-noise response superior than current x-ray film, and provides real-time access to the data. The spatial resolution of the camera (<25 μm) is similar to typical digitization slit or step sizes used in processing film data. This new large format CCD camera has immediate applications as the recording device for streak cameras or gated microchannel plate diagnostics, or when used directly as the detector for x-ray, x-ray ultraviolet, or optical signals. This is especially important in studying high-energy plasmas produced in pulse-power, inertial confinement fusion, and high powered laser-plasma experiments, as well as other medical and industrial applications.