The Alta Design Team at Apogee worked hard over a two year period to bring this advanced degree of integration and performance to the astronomy market. Alta has set new standards for imaging performance, connectivity, cooling, compactness, cost effectiveness, and the elimination of external support electronics. Like the AP and KX series, Alta is a platform, not a CCD or specific interface type. It is designed for a variety of CCDs, ranging from the smallest to those measuring 36mm on a side with 4096 x 4096 arrays.

So many improvements in such a small package: No more external controllers, plug-in cards, or frame grabbers. Dual digitization for high precision plus high speed focus. On-board camera memory for fast local sequences and no worries about transfer interruptions. Time delayed integration for imaging far beyond the size of the sensor. A single 12V power input for optional battery-powered operation. In addition, the Apogee Alta U Series cameras have dual digitization, 12 and 16 bit. The 12 bit mode is intended primarily as a focus mode.

Alta U Series cameras are available with a wide variety of sensors, including: Back-illuminated sensors with very high quantum efficiency, some with sensitivity in the deep UV; Interline transfer sensors with fast electronic shuttering and inherent anti-blooming; front-illuminated CCDs with high sensitivity in the near-IR without etaloning. In general, the larger the pixel size, the higher the dynamic range. Smaller pixels (about 7 microns) are typically used for microscopy (U32; U2000; U4000); larger pixels and larger arrays are typically used for astronomy (U42, U47 back-illuminated; U16M, U9000, U6 front-illuminated).

Apogee Alta Scientific Imaging Systems means you'll get High Speed, low noise, 16/12 bit dual digitization to 7 MHz, TEC cooling to >75C. Lifetime warranty on CCD chamber seal. Fast USB 2.0 advanced I/O control. The Apogee Alta imaging systems represent cost effective advanced imaging technology not found anywhere else. The Alta platform currently supports 11 different housing configurations, including high cooling, wide entrance angle, and low profile variants, many with a choice of fans or liquid circulation.

Apogee Alta U Series Highlights

• 768 x 512 array, 9 x 9 micron pixels


• 5 MHz 12-bit and 1 MHz 16-bit digitization


• 32Mbyte camera memory


• USB 2.0 interface: no plug in cards or external controllers


• Programmable, intelligent cooling to 50C below ambient


• Binning up to 10 Horizontal x 512 Vertical


• Subarray readout and fast sequencing modes


• Precision time delayed integration readout


• Programmable fan speed for low / zero vibration


• Two serial port outputs for control of peripheral devices


• General purpose programmable I/O port


• External triggering and strobe controls


• ActiveX drivers included with every system


• Field upgradeable firmware


• Self-test capability with data simulators


• Fused silica windows


• Runs from single 12V supply with input voltage monitor


• Compact enclosure


• Programmable status indicators

About the Kodak KAF-0402E / ME Imaging Sensor

The Kodak KAF-0402E/ME is a high performance monochrome area CCD (charge-coupled device) image sensor with 768H x 512V photoactive pixels. It is designed for a wide range of image sensing applications in the 350 nm to 1000 nm wavelength band. Typical applications include military, scientific,and industrial imaging. Low dark current and goodcharge capacity result in 76 dB dynamic range at room temperature.

The sensor is built with a true two-phase CCD technology employing a transparent gate. This technology simplifies the support circuits that drive the sensor, reduces the dark current without compromising charge capacity, and significantly increases to optical response compared to traditional front illuminated full frame sensors.

The ME configuration adds micro lenses to the surface of the CCD sensor. These lenses focus the majority of the light through the transparent gate, increasing the optical response further. The photoactive area is 6.91mm x 4.6 mm. The imager is housed in a 24-pin, 0.805” wide, dual in-line package with 0.100” pin spacing.

Kodak KAF-0402E / ME Sensor Features

• Quantum Efficiency Peak with Microlens: 77%


• Enhanced Response Full-Frame CCD


• Total Number of Pixels - 784 (H) x 520 (V)


• Number of Active Pixels - 768 (H) x 512 (V) = approx. 0.4M


• Pixel Size - 9.0μm (H) x 9.,0μm (V)


• Imager Size - 6.91(H)mm x 4.6(V)mm


• Die Size - 8.4mm (H) x 5.5mm (V)


• Aspect Ratio - 3:2 - Saturation Signal - 100,000 electrons

Alta cameras offer the best warranty in the business, and for good reason: Apogee's Alta Camera Series focuses on quality and reliability so you can focus on innovation and discovery. With a lifetime warranty against condensation in the inner chamber, and a two year parts and labor warranty, including the CCD, we have the best warranty in the industry. If you've got an out-of-box issue with one of our cameras, we're the only company that pays for shipping both ways. Why do we offer such an outstanding warranty? Because Alta cameras are rock solid from day one.

Front Illuminated Full Frame CCD 

Back Illuminated Full Frame CCD