Array Control Electronics (ACE): ESO's next generation of CCD controllers for the Very Large Telescope

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A new controller concept based on transputer modules and digital signal processors (DSPs) has been developed at ESO. The controller can handle single CCDs or CCD mosaics with 1 to 64 outputs and with up to 256 clocks with software programmable independent high and low voltages. The same basic concept will be used for slow scan scientific and fast auto guiding/wavefront sensing applications. While the transputers are mainly used for data acquisition, communications and supervisory tasks, a DSP with very simple external logic performs the time-critical CCD clock pattern generation. The low noise, high speed clock driver with built-in telemetry is designed for highest operational safety. ACE can easily be interfaced to various types of host computers, PCs, Unix workstations or Local Control Units.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: