QHY6060 Pro

QHY6060 Pro is a scientific CMOS camera with 37.7 Megapixels, 61mm square (89mm diagonal) sensor, 10um pixel size, 14bit ADC and 6K*6K resolution. It has both back-illuminated version and front-illuminated versions. The BSI version has 95% peak QE and has soft X-ray response. QHY6060 Pro supports both air and liquid cooling.

In order to use it in a full vacuum environment. The camera needs to be put into a vacuum environment. QHYCCD can offer a special customized design of the full vacuum version. Please contact QHYCCD if you need this version.

*Please contact QHYCCD about the price.

Specifications

Model	QHY6060 Pro
Image Sensor	Gpixel GSENSE6060
Sensor Type	Mono Only
FSI/BSI	Both Available
Pixel Size	10μm*10μm
Effective Pixels	37.6 Megapixels
Effective Image Area	61.34mm*61.34mm
Effective Pixel Area	6134*6134
Total Pixel Area	7936*6134 (Include the optic black area on left side and right side)
A/D	14-bit A/D
Full Well Capacity (1×1, 2×2, 3×3)	QHY6060FSI 70ke- QHY6060BSI TBD
Read Noise	4.7e- (at max analog gain in high gain channel)
Dark Current	FSI: 0.2e-/pixel/sec @-15℃ BSI: TBD
Exposure Time Range	20μs-300sec
Shutter Type	Electronic Rolling Shutter
Computer Interface	USB3.0 2*10Gigabit Fiber
Filter Wheel Interface	4PIN QHYCCD CFW Port
Trigger Port	Programmable TrigOut, High Speed Sync Port / GPS interface Port
Full Frame Rates	USB3.0: 5.6FPS@8bit 4.0FPS@16bit PCIE Mode: 5.6FPS@8bit 5.6FPS@16bit speed3(still in development): 11FPS@8bit
ROI Frame Rates	USB3.0: 2048lines, 16.8FPS@8bit,12.1FPS@16bit 1080lines, 30.6FPS@8bit, 23.1FPS@16bit 768lines, 35.2FPS@8bit, 32.1FPS@16bit 480lines, 66.3FPS@8bit, 49.1FPS@16bit PCIE Mode: 2048lines, 16.8FPS@8bit, 16.8FPS@16bit 1080lines, 30.6FPS@8bit,30.6FPS@16bit 768lines, 35.2FPS@8bit,35.2FPS@16bit 480lines, 66.3FPS@8bit, 66.3FPS@16bit
Built-in Image Buffer	2GB DDR3 Memory Buffer
Air Cooling System	Dual Stage TEC cooler: -25℃ below ambient (Test temperature 20℃，Water-cooled pipes need to be filled with water.)
Liquid Cooling	Available. -35℃ to -37℃ below ambient temperature (water temperature 26℃, test temperature +20℃) -45℃ to -47℃ below ambient temperature (water temperature 10℃, test temperature +20℃)
Recommended Flow Rates	12ml/s
Anti-Dew Heater	Available
Humidity Sensor	Available
Firmware/FPGA remote Upgrade	Available via Camera USB port
Optic Window Type	AR+AR High Quality Multi-Layer Anti-Reflection Coating
Back Focal Length	TBD
Adapters	Customization
Weight	TBD
Power	TBD

Definition of Gsense Sensor Grade*

*This definition is from the developer of Gsense sensors , not from QHYCCD. Please contact us if any question.

Maximum allowed defect numbers are indicated below*.

Item	Grade 0	Grade 1	Grade 2
Total Defect Pixel	800	1200	2000
Total Defect Column and Defect Row	2	6	10

*Any Defects on the glass lid are excluded.

Curves

Mechanical dimentions

Latest Version

Previous Version

Reference Paper & Document

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168900222000985?via%3Dihub#!

User Guide

Install “All-In-One” Driver&SDK Pack

Before Start: Input Voltage Requirements

The camera requires an input voltage between 11V and 13.8V. If the input voltage is too low the camera will stop functioning or it may reboot when the TEC power percent is high, causing a drain on the power. Therefore, please make sure the input voltage arrived to the camera is adequate. 12V is the best but please note that a 12V cable that is very long or a cable with small conductor wire may exhibit enough resistance to cause a voltage drop between the power supply and the camera. The formular is: V(drop) = I * R (cable). It is advised that a very long 12V power cable not be used. It is better to place the 12V AC adapter closer to the camera.

First connect the 12V power supply, then connect the camera to your computer via the USB3.0 cable. Make sure the camera is plugged in before connecting the camera to the computer, otherwise the camera will not be recognized. When you connect the camera for the first time, the system discovers the new device and looks for drivers for it. You can skip the online search step by clicking “Skip obtaining the driver software from Windows Update” and the computer will automatically find the driver locally and install it. If we take the 5IIISeries driver as an example (shown below), after the driver software is successfully installed, you will see QHY5IIISeries_IO in the device manager.

Please note that the input voltage cannot be lower than 11.5v, otherwise the device will be unable to work normally.

Install "All-In-One" System Pack

All-in-one Pack supports most QHYCCD models only except PoleMaster and several discontinued CCD cameras.

Download Page: https://www.qhyccd.com/download/

Video Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/embed/mZDxIK0GZRc?start=1

Since most of the contents of All-in-one package are plug-ins that support third-party software, the third-party capturing software that you want to use must be installed before the All-in-one package. Otherwise the program will report an error.
ALL-IN-ONE Pack contains:
- System Driver, which is necessary for the camera operation and must be installed.
- WDM Broadcast Driver, which can provide a live signal to Obs and other live software, you can install it if you have such needs like opeing a live show.
- EZCAP_QT , which is developed by QHYCCD and can be used in QHY devices tests, and management of updates. So even if you won’t use EZCAP_QT for capturing, we suggest you install it.
- Ascom driver, which is necessary for the camera used in Ascom (the latest version of Ascom is 6.6).
- The two sorts of Ascom CFW Drivers correspond to two methods of controling the filter wheel: USB control and camera serial control. It is recommended that both drivers should be installed if you have a filter wheel.
- CP210X_VCP is a serial driver. Some computers come with the driver, but the computer without the driver may be failed of controling the filter wheel.
- SDKs for Third-party Software: Just pick and install the corresponding SDK according to the software you want to use. Don’t forget to check whether the software you are using is 32-bit or 64-bit and select the right SDKs.
- SHARPCAP is also included in the pack, you can choose 32-bit or 64-bit to install. This is authorized by SHARPCAP.
- QT LIB is a plug-in to ensure that 64-bit software can exeuate normally on some computers with poor compatibility.
Difference between Stable version and Beta Version: Beta version is the latest version, which gives priority to support for the latest products (the stable version may not be compatible with those yet), and has some of the latest optimized ,but experimental features. The stable version is older than the beta version but more stable, so it is recommended for beginners who are not using the latest products.
Don’t let the camera connect to the computer during the All-in-one pack installation process; connect it to the computer after all the installation is complete.

Connect DSO Imaging Software (e.g. NINA)

Before using software, make sure you have connected the cooling camera to the 12V power supply and connected it to the computer with a USB3.0 data cable. If it’s an uncooled camera, 12V power is not needed. We recommend 64-bit Software, like SharpCAP x64 , N.I.N.A x64. etc., especially when you’re using 16bit cameras.

NINA supports direct connection via the QHY plugin as well as connection through the ASCOM driver. The following instructions assume a direct connection using the QHY plugin.

Set the Target temperature.

Set exposure time and start the shooting.

Connect Planetary Imaging Software (e.g. SharpCap)

The instructions below are based on SharpCap 3.1

Launch SharpCap.

Click Camera in the menu bar and select your camera.

If the software and drivers mentioned above have been installed correctly, the image will appear automatically. And the frame rate can also be seen in the lower-left corner of the software window, as shown below.

Main Interface Functions:

Capture Profiles
Preset management.
After SharpCap is restarted, the default settings are restored. If you frequently use one or more specific parameter configurations, you can adjust the parameters as needed and then click Save to store them as a preset. The preset can be directly recalled the next time you open the software.

Exposure
Sets the exposure duration. When LX Mode is enabled, the single-frame exposure time can be extended to longer values.

Gain
Equivalent to the ISO setting on a standard digital camera. Higher gain values result in higher sensitivity.

Frame Rate Limit
Limits the maximum frame rate. By default, no limit is applied. Users can set the limit manually if needed.

Offset
Adjusts the bias level. Even when the camera is completely covered, the image may not appear perfectly black. By adjusting the offset value, a more optimal dark frame can be achieved. The Histogram can be used to verify the adjustment.

USB Traffic
Controls the data transfer speed (frame rate). When set to 0, the camera operates at its maximum frame rate.

Enable Broadcast Mode
Enables the broadcast driver. For detailed usage instructions, please refer to the documentation available on the download page.

Read Mode
Some camera models support high-gain and low-gain readout modes.

Color Space
Select the output format.
Raw8 / Raw16 are 8-bit or 16-bit formats. Images and videos saved in Raw8 or Raw16 format will be monochrome, even when using a color sensor. Color information must be restored through debayering during post-processing.
RGB24 is a non-RAW format that outputs color images directly, but requires more storage space.

Capture Area
Select the resolution used for image capture.

Binning
Enable pixel binning for image capture.

Output Format
Select the output file format.

Debayer Preview
When this function is enabled, the live preview will be displayed in color even if a RAW format is selected. Please note that the saved images will still be monochrome.

Gamma, Brightness, Contrast
Under normal operating conditions, we recommend leaving these settings unchanged.

White Balance (R/G/B)
This function is used for white balance calibration on color cameras. For detailed calibration instructions, please refer to the corresponding section on the color camera page.
This function is not required for monochrome cameras.

Histogram
The histogram is an important image reference tool. It can be used to check whether the white balance is set correctly, whether the offset value is appropriate, and whether the image is overexposed.
Its operating principle is the same as that of the histogram used in standard DSLR cameras.

Thermal Controls
After the cooled camera is connected to a 12 V power supply, the temperature control circuit will be activated. You can control the CMOS sensor temperature by adjusting the settings shown below.

There are two main methods for temperature control:

Adjusting the cooler power
Setting a target temperature

If you wish to control the CMOS temperature by setting a target temperature, first click “Auto”, and then use the slider to set the desired target temperature.

Scope Control: for filter wheel control
Select the corresponding filter wheel slot to control the rotation.

Note: The software must be started after the filter wheel has completed its rotation and returned to the home position; otherwise, the position will not be displayed correctly.

Using Ascom

QHY devices can operate with many software applications that support the ASCOM platform. MAXIM DL is used as an example below.

First, make sure that both the ASCOM platform and the QHY ASCOM driver have been successfully installed. Launch MAXIM DL and follow the instructions shown in the figure below to complete the setup.

Click “Connect”

Set the cooling temperature.

Using EZCAP

EZCAP_QT is software developed by QHYCCD. For QHYCCD cameras, it provides basic image capture functions.

Install the EZCAP_QT software and connect the camera to your computer using a USB 3.0 cable. Launch EZCAP_QT, then click “Connect” under Menu → Camera.
If the camera is successfully connected, the EZCAP_QT title bar will display the camera firmware version and camera ID, as shown in the figure below.

In Camera Setup, click Temp Control to set the CMOS sensor temperature.
You can enable Auto to define a target temperature. For example, here we set the target temperature to –10 °C. The CMOS sensor temperature will quickly drop to the target value, typically within 2–3 minutes.

To disable cooling, select Stop. If you prefer to control the cooling power without setting a target temperature, you can manually set the cooling power as a percentage.

In EZCAP_QT, there is an Image Task Planner for sequence imaging.

Check Use to enable the task.

Set the following parameters:

Bin

ExpTime – exposure time

Repeat – number of frames

CFW – filter wheel position

Gain – gain value for the sequence

Click Folder to set the save path. (It is recommended to avoid special characters in the path and use English letters.)

Click Start to begin the sequence capture, and Force Stop to close the current task.

QHY6060 Pro external drying system instructions

Since QHY6060 Pro is usually connected to a large telescope, especially the main focus of a large telescope, it is not convenient to disassemble it at this time. Therefore, QHY6060 Pro has designed an external drying system to facilitate maintenance work and solve the maintenance-free problem of long-term use.

QHY6060 Pro has built-in CMOS sealed cavity humidity sensor and built-in circulating pump. The real-time humidity value of the sealed cavity can be read through API. When the humidity is high, the maintenance personnel should start the circulating pump built in the camera to dehumidify the air in the sealed cavity. Since the sensor and pump are built-in cameras and controlled by QHYCCD API, this design is very suitable for remote operation.

Instructions

1. Take out the drying tube, filter valve and connecting tube, and prepare the desiccant.

2. Connect the drying tube and the air filter, paying attention to the connection sequence. (The yellow part of the air filter faces the air outlet and the black part faces the drying tube)

3. Put the effective desiccant into the drying tube. (Blue desiccant, pink after failure. Orange desiccant, green after failure. Please pay attention to the color of the desiccant to judge whether the desiccant is effective)

4. Open the drying hole on the camera and remove the sealing screw and rubber sealing ring.

5. Connect the drying pipe, pay attention to check the air tightness of the joints to ensure that there is no air leakage. (Pay attention to the connection direction of the drying pipe, connect as shown in the figure, the left side is the air outlet, and the right side is the air inlet.)

6. Use EZCAP_QT software to turn off the camera cooling (TEC OFF), and observe the humidity display curve (RH) of EZCAP_QT. The cyclic dehumidification function in the software is added on 2020-11-27, please use 20-11-27 or later versions.

EZCAP-QT software download

7. Start the camera built-in air circulation pump (click SensorChamberCyclePUMP)

8. The displayed value of the humidity display curve drops. After about 5 minutes, the software automatically turns off the air circulation pump to complete the camera drying process (If the humidity curve is still not ideal, please restart the air circulation pump in the software.)

The drying tube and the air filter can consider adding an extension tube, which is installed on the telescope for a long time, so that the above drying process can be started when the drying is required. Pay attention to check the color of the desiccant regularly. If the color becomes an invalid color, you should replace the desiccant in the drying tube.

Description of the api function of the switch pump:

uint32_t SetQHYCCDParam(qhyccd_handle *handle, CONTROL_ID controlId, double value)

Usage:

SetQHYCCDParam(camhandle，CONTROL_SensorChamberCycle_PUMP,value)

value=1:pump on

value=0:pump off

QHYCCD BURST Mode

Added functions related to BURST mode in SDK. Currently, cameras that support Burst function include QHY600, QHY411, QHY461, QHY268, QHY6060, QHY4040, QHY4040PRO, QHY2020, QHY42PRO, QHY183A

This mode is a sub-mode of continuous mode. This function can only be used in continuous mode. When this function is enabled, the camera will stop outputting image data, and the software frame rate will be reduced to 0. At this time, send relevant commands to the camera, and the camera will Output the image data with the specified frame number according to the settings, for example, set Start End to 1 6, the camera will output the image data with the frame number 2 3 4 5 when receiving the command.
Note:
1. When using Burst mode in fiber mode, the first Burst shot will be one less. For example, if the start end is set to 1 6, the output of 2 3 4 5 is normal, but in fact, only 3 4 will be output during the first burst shot. 5, 2 will not be received, the second and subsequent shots can normally obtain Burst images 2 3 4 5. This problem will be fixed later.
2. QHY2020, QHY4040 found that the frame number that came out when the exposure time was short is [start+1,end-1] but the one that came out under long exposure was [start+2,end]
3. When the camera is just connected, if the set end value is relatively large, the camera will directly output the picture after entering the burst mode. Therefore, it is necessary to set the camera to enter the IDLE state and then set the start end and related burst operations.

The following is the usage of Burst mode related functions:

1.EnableQHYCCDBurstMode