<title>High-speed FPS vidicon camera</title>

Abstract

A new high-speed, high-resolution electrostatic deflection vidicon camera for use with high-definition diode electron gun focus projection and scan (FPS) vidicons has been designed and partially developed. It is asynchronously resettable to permit time-phased synchronization with randomly occurring transient optical events. Programmable rasters allow selection of nonstandard variable size and speed formats for specific imaging aspect ratios and readout requirements. Readout rates as high as 625 Hz (1.6 ms field period) with 256 scan lines per field with limiting resolution >= 20 lp/mm and dynamic range >= 200:1 from Plumbicon (PbO) and Saticon (Se-As-Te) targets are presented. Charge equilibrium problems resulting in superlinear transfer characteristics from transient low intensity pulsed illumination are discussed. Camera circuitry and potential scientific and medical applications are included.