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QSI 532ws CCD Camera Performance: Conversion Factor and Readout Noise

QSI 532ws-M1 CCD Camera Performance

AIP4WIN V2.1.10 characterize CCD camera measurement functions

The basic CCD test analysis of the QSI 532ws-M1 CCD camera uses AIP4WIN V2.1.10 software to characterize the CCD camera. (Reference: Chapter 8 of The Handbook of Astronomical Image Processing 2nd Edition by Richard Berry and James Burnell).

16 sets of test frames (one bias, one dark and two flats) were taken to obtain 16 conversion factor (Electrons/ADU) measurements and 16 readout noise (Electrons RMS) measurements. The mean of the 16 measurements was conversion factor of 1.340625 Electrons/ADU and the readout noise was 10.733125 Electrons RMS.

Camera temperature was at -15°C and the room temperature was at +18°C. The 16 measurements were sorted and analyzed with Excel 2007 descriptive statistics.

Electrons/ADU Statistics Electrons RMS Statistics
1.20 9.63
1.21 Mean 1.340625 9.72 Mean 10.733125
1.22 Standard Error 0.019652581 9.99 Standard Error 0.192760038
1.29 Median 1.355 10.06 Median 10.68
1.30 Mode 1.34 10.32 Mode 10.68
1.34 Standard Deviation 0.078610326 10.37 Standard Deviation 0.771040152
1.34 Sample Variance 0.006179583 10.67 Sample Variance 0.594502917
1.35 Kurtosis -0.481369396 10.68 Kurtosis 0.357515182
1.36 Skewness -0.563502058 10.68 Skewness 0.726675591
1.37 Range 0.26 10.72 Range 2.69
1.37 Minimum 1.2 10.95 Minimum 9.63
1.38 Maximum 1.46 10.97 Maximum 12.32
1.41 Sum 21.45 11.02 Sum 171.73
1.42 Count 16 11.42 Count 16
1.43 12.21
1.46 12.32

Basic CCD test analysis AIP4WIN V2.1.10 AIP DataLog file for the 16 measurements. 

Command Line FileName: 
Characterize CCD Camera
Bias Frame:         H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--001BF.fit
Flat-Dark Frame:    H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--001FFD.fit
Flat Frame #1:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-001.fit
Flat Frame #2:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-002.fit
Conversion Factor = 1.20 electrons/ADU
Readout Noise =     10.06 electrons RMS

Characterize CCD Camera
Bias Frame:         H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--002BF.fit
Flat-Dark Frame:    H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--002FFD.fit
Flat Frame #1:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-003.fit
Flat Frame #2:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-004.fit
Conversion Factor = 1.42 electrons/ADU
Readout Noise =     12.21 electrons RMS

Characterize CCD Camera
Bias Frame:         H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--003BF.fit
Flat-Dark Frame:    H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--003FFD.fit
Flat Frame #1:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-005.fit
Flat Frame #2:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-006.fit
Conversion Factor = 1.34 electrons/ADU
Readout Noise =     10.68 electrons RMS

Characterize CCD Camera
Bias Frame:         H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--004BF.fit
Flat-Dark Frame:    H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--004FFD.fit
Flat Frame #1:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-007.fit
Flat Frame #2:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-008.fit
Conversion Factor = 1.41 electrons/ADU
Readout Noise =     11.42 electrons RMS

Characterize CCD Camera
Bias Frame:         H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--005BF.fit
Flat-Dark Frame:    H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--005FFD.fit
Flat Frame #1:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-009.fit
Flat Frame #2:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-010.fit
Conversion Factor = 1.21 electrons/ADU
Readout Noise =     9.72 electrons RMS

Characterize CCD Camera
Bias Frame:         H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--006BF.fit
Flat-Dark Frame:    H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--006FFD.fit
Flat Frame #1:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-011.fit
Flat Frame #2:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-012.fit
Conversion Factor = 1.46 electrons/ADU
Readout Noise =     12.32 electrons RMS

Characterize CCD Camera
Bias Frame:         H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--007BF.fit
Flat-Dark Frame:    H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--007FFD.fit
Flat Frame #1:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-013.fit
Flat Frame #2:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-014.fit
Conversion Factor = 1.36 electrons/ADU
Readout Noise =     10.97 electrons RMS

Characterize CCD Camera
Bias Frame:         H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--008BF.fit
Flat-Dark Frame:    H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--008FFD.fit
Flat Frame #1:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-015.fit
Flat Frame #2:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-016.fit
Conversion Factor = 1.29 electrons/ADU
Readout Noise =     9.99 electrons RMS

Characterize CCD Camera
Bias Frame:         H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--009BF.fit
Flat-Dark Frame:    H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--009FFD.fit
Flat Frame #1:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-017.fit
Flat Frame #2:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-018.fit
Conversion Factor = 1.22 electrons/ADU
Readout Noise =     9.63 electrons RMS

Characterize CCD Camera
Bias Frame:         H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--010BF.fit
Flat-Dark Frame:    H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--010FFD.fit
Flat Frame #1:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-019.fit
Flat Frame #2:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-020.fit
Conversion Factor = 1.37 electrons/ADU
Readout Noise =     10.37 electrons RMS

Characterize CCD Camera
Bias Frame:         H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--011BF.fit
Flat-Dark Frame:    H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--011FFD.fit
Flat Frame #1:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-021.fit
Flat Frame #2:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-022.fit
Conversion Factor = 1.35 electrons/ADU
Readout Noise =     10.95 electrons RMS

Characterize CCD Camera
Bias Frame:         H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--012BF.fit
Flat-Dark Frame:    H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--012FFD.fit
Flat Frame #1:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-023.fit
Flat Frame #2:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-024.fit
Conversion Factor = 1.43 electrons/ADU
Readout Noise =     11.02 electrons RMS

Characterize CCD Camera
Bias Frame:         H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--013BF.fit
Flat-Dark Frame:    H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--013FFD.fit
Flat Frame #1:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-025.fit
Flat Frame #2:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-026.fit
Conversion Factor = 1.34 electrons/ADU
Readout Noise =     10.72 electrons RMS

Characterize CCD Camera
Bias Frame:         H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--014BF.fit
Flat-Dark Frame:    H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--014FFD.fit
Flat Frame #1:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-027.fit
Flat Frame #2:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-028.fit
Conversion Factor = 1.38 electrons/ADU
Readout Noise =     10.68 electrons RMS

Characterize CCD Camera
Bias Frame:         H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--015BF.fit
Flat-Dark Frame:    H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--015FFD.fit
Flat Frame #1:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-029.fit
Flat Frame #2:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-030.fit
Conversion Factor = 1.30 electrons/ADU
Readout Noise =     10.32 electrons RMS

Characterize CCD Camera
Bias Frame:         H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--016BF.fit
Flat-Dark Frame:    H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT--016FFD.fit
Flat Frame #1:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-031.fit
Flat Frame #2:      H:\Images 2007\20071205 QSICCDPerfBasic\BCT-FF-032.fit
Conversion Factor = 1.37 electrons/ADU
Readout Noise =     10.67 electrons RMS


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