EMCCD Cameras - iXon Series

The iXon EMCCD cameras from Andor are scientific digital cameras particularly designed to drive the absolute best from EMCCD technology across all performance parameters and specifications. The ultrasensitive camera range comprises the iXon Ultra 897, iXon Ultra 888 and iXon3 860.

The iXon design ensures excellent sensitivity from a quantitative scientific camera, especially under fast frame rate conditions.

The iXon Ultra 888 model sets a new standard, increasing frame rates to up to 3 times faster; the data stream is transferred through a simple and easy plug and play USB 3.0 interface.

Andor’s UltraVac™ vacuum technology ensures complete sensor protection and deep cooling. Designed to be a flexible and easy-to-use EMCCD camera, the iXon series can be optimized to suit different application needs through the latest OptAcquire™ feature.

The iXon EMCCD camera series is reliable and stable. Signal can be quantitatively calibrated in units of photons or electrons, either post-processing or real time.

Pioneering and patented technology provides automated recalibration of the linear EM gain scale along with anti-ageing protection.

Key Features

The main features of the iXon EMCCD camera series include:

Fastest frame rates: iXon Ultra 888 provides up to 3 times faster frame rates than that of other competitors

OptAcquire™: Users can optimize the flexible iXon for a wide range of applications simply at the click of a button

EX2 technology: Extended QE response, beyond standard back-illuminated

Crop mode: Unique acquisition mode for continuous imaging with fastest possible frame rate from ROI; optically centred in iXon Ultra, it is suitable for super-resolution microscopy

UltraVac™: Essential for sustained vacuum integrity and to maintain unparalleled cooling and QE performance, year after year

RealGain™: Absolute EMCCD gain selectable directly from a quantitative and linear scale

Superior EM quantitative stability and baseline clamp: Critical for quantitative precision of dynamic measurements, effective even with the new iXon Ultra 888, 30 MHz readout speed

Count Convert: Users can quantitatively capture and view data in incident photons or electrons. Applied either in real time or post-processing

EMCAL™: Patented user-initiated self-recalibration of EM Gain

Minimal clock-induced charge: Specialized pixel clocking parameters, yielding minimized spurious noise floor

iCam: Unique innovation that empowers the iXon to work with excellent acquisition efficiency via third party live cell microscopy software

Direct data access (iXon Ultra): Camera link output port to allow direct access to raw data for on the fly processing; suitable for adaptive optics and super resolution applications

Spurious noise filter: Intelligent algorithms to filter clock induced charge events from the background

Improved photon counting modes: Intuitive single photon counting modes to overcome multiplicative noise

2 in 1 flexibility (all iXon models): EMCCD for ultra-sensitivity at speed; traditional CCD for longer acquisitions. CCD mode now with ultra-low read noise

USB (iXon Ultra): USB 2.0 (897 model) and USB 3.0 (888 model) provide simple interface to PC