A CCD pixel receives photons per second at quantum efficiency

PHYSICS · Multi-part · Fermi University Physics · Optics & Photonics · Photodetection, photonic sources and quantum optics · Photodetection, photonic sources and quantum optics

What an Instrument Can See, Ch Radiance, etendue and a throughput budget that is spent

Problem

A CCD pixel receives 4.0×1034.0\times10^3 photons per second at quantum efficiency 80%80\%, and is exposed for 10 s10\ \mathrm{s}. Its dark current is 0.002 electrons s−10.002\ \mathrm{electrons\,s^{-1}} and its read noise is 3 electrons3\ \mathrm{electrons} (added once per readout). ((a)) Find the total signal in electrons collected in this exposure. ((b)) Find the signal-to-noise ratio, combining shot noise, dark-current shot noise and read noise in quadrature. State which of the three noise terms dominates.

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