News
- TitleICSO paper highlights first-class technology behind e2v's image sensor for Pleiades satellites
- Date11 July 2006
A joint technical paper by CNES, e2v technologies and Alcatel Alenia Space presented at the International Conference on Space Optics (ICSO) in June has highlighted the strength in the design and performance of the e2v image sensor chosen for the Pleiades High Resolution Earth observation satellites.
The paper, titled “Back-thinned TDI CCD image sensor design and performance for the Pleiades High Resolution Earth observation satellites” was presented on 28 June at ICSO 2006 at the ESA/ESTEC site in the Netherlands. It provided an overview of the Pleiades-HR mission and satellite, details on the satellite’s CCD (charge coupled device) focal plane, and a discussion of the panchromatic channel architecture in the focal plane.
e2v technologies has developed a time delay and integration (TDI) mode CCD98 image sensor specifically for the Pleiades-HR programme, under contract with CNES (Centre National D’Etudes Spatiales). Five of these sensors are destined for the panchromatic channel of the focal plane.
The e2v devices are back-illuminated for high quantum efficiency and sensitivity. Their TDI format enables them to capture high resolution images. They offer 6,000 active pixels per line and a pixel size and pitch of 13µm square. An architecture with anti-blooming structure in each pixel ensures that image outputs are not jeopardised (smeared) by specular reflections. The CCDs are packaged in a custom aluminium nitride package with an anti-reflection coated window.
The first of two Pleiades-HR satellites is due for launch in early 2009. Developed by EADS Astrium, the satellite is compact and agile. It will orbit the Earth, capturing very high resolution panchromatic and multi-spectra images from an altitude of 694km for a period of five years. The satellite houses an Alcatel Alenia Space high performance instrument comprising a telescope and a detection unit, composed of a focal plane and a video electronic unit. Data in the form of colour images with a resolution of 0.7 m, captured across a 20km swath, will be used for cartography applications, such as urban area mapping, as well as defence and civil security applications.