Interline Transfer Electron Multiplication CCD

Technology for low lighting imaging

Interline Transfer EMCCD combines the high imaging performance available from Interline Transfer CCD technology with the sub-electron noise floor provided by electron multiplication. This combination allows products based on this technology to provide the sensitivity to image under sub-lux illumination, such as the darkest shadows of an alley way, while retaining the dynamic range needed to extend this image capture to the brightest highlights – allowing a single camera to image from sunlight to starlight.

Devices using this technology include both a standard CCD output as well as an electron multiplied output, allowing a pixel-by-pixel decision to be made during image readout. Pixels from the brightest part of the image are sent to the standard output while pixels from the darkest part sent to the electron multiplication output, providing additional amplification only to those parts of the scene that need it.