An overview of AONGC and the ESO adaptive optics wave front sensing camera

The detector controller requirements for Adaptive Optics (AO) cameras presents numerous challenges in the design of the electronics, all of which have led to highly customized controller development in order to meet the requirements of high frame rate, low-noise and low image latency in a compact sized camera. This paper presents an overview of the ESO AOWFS camera and AONGC, the Adaptive Optics ESO's new detector controller; the challenges and excellent progress in achieving detector limited performance from the e2v EMCCD CCD220, along with test results demonstrating sub-electron read noise at frame rates in excess of 1500 Hz. Pre-series cameras have been delivered for use in 2nd Generation VLT instruments (AOF and SPHERE).