Q+A CENTER

CORPORATE PROFILES

July/August 2004

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Founded in 1993 in Silicon Valley, Apogee Instruments? first cameras were sold to astronomers for low light, quantitative imaging. Over the last decade, Apogee has sold thousands of cameras in more than 50 countries worldwide for quantitative and low light imaging. Apogee Instruments still specializes in high performance cameras, but the product line has evolved and grown, adding many new sensors, better cooling, higher speed readout, easier installation, and ever-increasing programmability.

PRODUCTS

Apogee?s new Alta Series provides thermoelectrically cooled CCD cameras with dual 12-bit and 16-bit digitization. More than 20 different CCDs are supported, from 512 x 512 to 4096 x 4096. Sensors include interline transfer CCDs (color and monochrome), as well as front- and back-illuminated full frame and frame transfer CCDs. Several CCDs are available with high sensitivity in the ultraviolet. A full list of supported sensors can be found at: www.ccd.com/alta_specs.html The newest introduction, the Alta U Series cameras, have a USB 2.0 Iinterface with up to 10 MHz throughput. Like the Alta E Series cameras with Ethernet 100baseT interfaces, no external plug-in cards or control boxes are required. All Alta cameras include high efficiency Peltier cooling, binning, subarray readout, programmable fan speed, external triggering, and two serial (COM) ports for control of peripheral devices. TDI mode is also supported. All Altas can be operated from a 12V source.

MARKETS SERVED