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Skipper CCDs help astronomers detect very faint signals by measuring the charge in each pixel repeatedly without removing it. Averaging those nondestructive readings reduces electronic readout noise, so a small signal is less likely to be hidden by the detector itself. The first reported on-sky astronomy demonstration used the SOAR Telescope’s Integral Field Spectrograph in Chile.
What is a Skipper CCD?
A charge-coupled device (CCD) turns incoming photons into electrons that accumulate in pixels. When the image is read, electronics measure each pixel’s stored charge. With a faint source, the signal may be only a few electrons, and readout noise can make it difficult to distinguish that signal from measurement noise.
A Skipper CCD changes the readout stage: it can sample the same stored charge packet more than once without destroying it. The detector averages those readings to reduce readout noise. It does not collect extra photons; it measures the charge already produced by the photons more precisely.
How repeated sampling reduces noise
If the repeated readings have independent white noise, averaging N samples reduces that noise approximately in proportion to 1/√N. For example, taking more samples can make a single-electron signal easier to resolve, but the improvement is not free: each additional measurement takes time.
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That makes the useful setting a balance between read noise and readout time. An observation that needs the lowest possible noise may benefit from more samples, while another observation may favor faster readout. More samples are not automatically better for every target or observing configuration.
What the SOAR astronomy demonstration showed
Fermilab reports that its CCD Group led the first on-sky astronomy demonstration of a Skipper CCD using the SOAR Telescope’s Integral Field Spectrograph (SIFS) in Chile. The collaboration included Fermilab, the University of Chicago, NOIRLab, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Brazil’s National Astrophysical Laboratory. Fermilab’s account of the demonstration describes it as helping retire perceived risks for future cosmology experiments.
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The on-sky use shows that the technology has been operated as part of an astronomy instrument, rather than remaining only a laboratory concept. It does not show that every observatory should replace conventional CCDs: whether repeated sampling is worthwhile depends on the needs and configuration of a particular observation.
What the published measurements mean
Two reported noise figures illustrate the technology’s potential, but they come from different studies and detector configurations. They are measurements of particular devices, not universal specifications for all Skipper CCDs.
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| Measurement | Reported result | What it applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Readout noise | 0.18 electron rms per pixel after 400 nondestructive samples | The SOAR SIFS detector characterization reported in a 2024 paper. The sample count is part of the result. 2024 detector characterization |
| Quantum efficiency | At least 80% from 450 to 980 nm; at least 90% from 600 to 900 nm | The characterized SOAR SIFS detector. These wavelength ranges describe that detector, not every Skipper CCD. 2024 detector characterization |
| Readout noise | 0.068 electron rms per pixel | A separate 2017 Skipper CCD study, which reproduced the result over millions of pixels on a stable large-area detector. It is not the SOAR result. 2017 Skipper CCD study |
When comparing detectors, read noise is only one consideration. Relevant factors also include readout time, wavelength-dependent quantum efficiency, dark current, charge transfer, full-well capacity and dynamic range. The SOAR characterization reports detector properties, but the cited material does not establish a complete product-to-product comparison.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why Skipper CCDs matter beyond astronomy
Fermilab also describes Skipper CCDs as promising for low-mass dark-matter searches. Such experiments look for very low-energy electron-recoil signals, where being able to measure charge below the usual one-electron noise scale may be valuable. Fermilab’s overview of the dark-matter application explains how repeated measurements can push readout noise below one electron.
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OSCURA is a research effort aimed at scaling this detector approach for a much larger dark-matter experiment. That is a project goal, not evidence that a large-scale detector has already been deployed. Other forms of sensitive imaging and particle detection may also benefit, but those are potential applications unless a specific use is documented.
Quick Recap
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What to keep in mind when comparing detector claims
- Check the reported sample count alongside a noise figure; repeated sampling is central to how a Skipper CCD reaches low read noise.
- Confirm which detector and configuration produced the measurement. The SOAR result and the 2017 large-area study are distinct experiments.
- Look at wavelength range and quantum efficiency as well as noise when judging suitability for a particular astronomical observation.
- Weigh lower read noise against the time required to acquire repeated samples.
- Do not assume that a generic astronomy CCD camera is a Skipper CCD or that a published research detector is a drop-in commercial replacement.
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