High-speed Image Intensifier | SIMTRUM Photonics Store

With a wide range of Gen II and Gen III image intensifiers the HiCATT offers high sensitivity down to single photon level and the optimal spectral bandwidth for your application. Different models covering a range in spectral sensitivity, phosphor, spatial resolution, gain, linearity, minimum gate width and gating frequency are available.

Standard, the first stage image intensifier of the HiCATT is equipped with a single MCP. Dual MCP image intensifiers are available on request.

1a. Recording a blue gas flame from a Bunsen burner at high frame rates poses a challenge. The light intensity of the flame is low and to be able to see any details, especially in close-ups, very short exposure times are required.

1b. Recording made with a standard high-speed camera at 1000 fps and 1 ms exposure time. On the one hand, a long exposure time is needed to increase the sensitivity of the camera. On the other hand, a short exposure time is necessary to prevent motion blur.

1c. Recording made with the HiCATT in front of the high-speed camera at 2000 fps and 15 µs exposure time (using gating). The HiCATT makes it possible to capture flames at frame rates up to 300.000 fps. By using gating fast electro-optical shutter function of the image intensifier, the exposure time can be limited to a value at which motion blur is no longer an issue.

2. Recording sequence made with the HiCATT in combination with a high-speed camera. The recording shows a combustion cycle of a fuel injection engine at 22.000 fps.

For time-resolved imaging a gate unit (f) is used together with the image intensifier to yield an electro-optical shutter. The gate unit either generates a high voltage pulse signal or follows an external TTL pulse. The pulse width is variable and follows a TTL input pulse over the range from less than 3 ns to DC at a repetition rate up to 300 kHz.

These photons are guided by a fiberoptic faceplate (3) to the entrance of the second stage (booster).

Again photons are converted to electrons by the photocathode (4) and accelerated to the anode screen (5) where the image appears. The relay lens (6) transfers the image from the back of the intensifier onto the mounted camera.

HiCATT G 40n: 40ns

HiCATT G 2n: < 3 ns with Gen II, 5 ns with Gen III

HiCATT G 2n: 300 kHz, 2.5 MHz in burst mode

Second stage image intensifier

Input window 

Sensitivity and spectral range 

Photon gain (max) 

Typical resolution on output (lp/mm)

1:1 relay lens

2:1 relay lens

3:1 relay lens

S20: 33, S25: 31, GaAs: 28, GaAsP: 26

S20: 66, S25: 62, GaAs: 56, GaAsP: 52

S20: 99, S25: 93, GaAs: 84, GaAsP: 78

Microsoft Windows control software is provided with all control unit models, except the manual model. The software provides full user control of the pulse width and delay, gating mode, and intensifier gain. The control unit is connected to the computer via USB (RS-232 is optional). For integration in third party software a full command set is available.

The enhanced pulse generator of the gate generator models has 4 independent programmable pulse outputs (one of which is used for gating) that provide precise timed TTL pulses with pulse widths down to less than 3 ns (FWHM).

The intensifier gate generator is optionally available with programmable gate patterns. A frame storage facility allows storing many different delay/width-settings and the creation of cenarios of freely definable gate sequences.

Control Unit Model  

Intensifier gain 

Control

Intensifier gate 

Control

Intensifier gate 

Generator

Gain control 

Trigger input 

Programmable trigger

level, divider and bursts (m out of n triggers)

Shutter 

Shutter control via 

- Hand held remote control with push button and timer

- External TTL signal

Second generation high QE image 

intensifiers

The photocathode of a second generation high QE image intensifier can have a quantum efficiency of over 30%.

Please note that these image intensifiers are only available with a diameter of 18 mm.

Typical QE, 200 ns gate width

Typical quantum efficiency (%) of second generation high QE image intensifiers as a function of wavelength (nm).

Second generation fast-gated high QE image intensifiers

The photocathode of a second generation high QE image intensifier can have a quantum efficiency of over 25%.

Please note that these image intensifiers are only available with a diameter of 18 mm.

Typical QE, 3 ns gate width

Typical quantum efficiency (%) of second generation high QE image intensifiers as a function of wavelength (nm).

Third generation image intensifiers

The photocathode of a third generation image intensifier can have a quantum efficiency of up to 50%.

Typical QE

Typical quantum efficiency (%) of third generation image intensifiers as a function of wavelength (nm).

Phosphor Decay Time

The anode screen of the image intensifier contains a layer of phosphorescent material. Upon impact of an electron, the phosphor screen will emit light. Depending on the type of phosphor, the intensity of the emitted light will decrease faster. The more efficient the phosphor, the slower its light intensity decays after excitation.

Our time-resolved cameras and camera attachments use P43 phosphor. The high luminous efficiency of this phosphor increases the light levels at the output of the image intensifier. This increases the quality of the resulting image.

Our high-speed cameras and camera attachments use P46 phosphor. This phosphor has a short decay time, so the light signal of consecutive frames doesn't get mixed up.

P47 phosphor is available on request, when even faster decay times are required.

S20 : 14800, S25:30000
GaAs: 40000, GaAsp: 20000

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