Abstract
Detectors play a key role in an astronomical observatory. In astronomy, the role of the telescope and instrument is to bring light to a focus – in effect, the telescope-instrument act as “spectacles”. The detectors, meanwhile, have the critical role of sensing the light – the detectors are the “eyes” of an observatory. The performance of an astronomical observatory is directly dependent upon the performance of its detector systems.
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Every three years, representatives of all of the major observatories and every detector manufacturer gather to exchange information on the state-of-the art. The proceedings from the past two workshops, held in 2002 (Hawaii) and 1999 (Germany), capture the most recent developments in optical and infrared detectors:
P. Amico and J.W. Beletic eds., 2003, Scientific Detectors for Astronomy 2002, the beginning of a new era, ASSL Series, Kluwer Academic Publisher, Dordrecht
P. Amico and J. W. Beletic eds., Optical Detectors for Astronomy II, state-of the-art at the turn of the millenium, ASSL Series, Kluwer Academic Publisher, Dordrecht, 2000.
James Janesick has been the most influential person in CCD community for many years, not only making significant technological developments, but also playing the role of lead evangelist. His classic “CCD course”, held biannually at UCLA, is a pilgrimage many of us in the field have made. He has finally captured all of his lecture notes into one tomb.
J. R. Janesick, 2001, Scientific Charge-Coupled Devices, SPIE Press, Bellingham
For an excellent overview of all aspects of astronomical instrumentation, please see the classic textbook by Ian McLean. This book contains a very good pedantic explanation of optical and infrared detectors.
I. S. McLean, 1997, Electronic Imaging in Astronomy: Detectors and Instrumentation, John Wiley and Sons, Chichester
All of the optical and infrared focal plane arrays are solid state electronic devices, and to fully understand their physics and operation, one should have a solid foundation in the solid state electronics. An excellent reference is:
B. G. Streetman, 1990, Solid State Electronic Devices, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs
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Beletic, J.W. (2006). OPTICAL AND INFRARED DETECTORS FOR ASTRONOMY. In: Foy, R., Foy, F. (eds) Optics in Astrophysics. NATO Science Series II: Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, vol 198. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-3437-7_11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-3437-7_11
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