Computation of dark frames in digital imagers

Ralf Widenhorn; Armin Rest; Morley M. Blouke; Richard L. Berry; Erik Bodegom

doi:10.1117/12.714784

21 February 2007 Computation of dark frames in digital imagers

Ralf Widenhorn, Armin Rest, Morley M. Blouke, Richard L. Berry, Erik Bodegom

Proceedings Volume 6501, Sensors, Cameras, and Systems for Scientific/Industrial Applications VIII; 650103 (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.714784
Event: Electronic Imaging 2007, 2007, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

Dark current is caused by electrons that are thermally exited into the conduction band. These electrons are collected by the well of the CCD and add a false signal to the chip. We will present an algorithm that automatically corrects for dark current. It uses a calibration protocol to characterize the image sensor for different temperatures. For a given exposure time, the dark current of every pixel is characteristic of a specific temperature. The dark current of every pixel can therefore be used as an indicator of the temperature. Hot pixels have the highest signal-to-noise ratio and are the best temperature sensors. We use the dark current of a several hundred hot pixels to sense the chip temperature and predict the dark current of all pixels on the chip. Dark current computation is not a new concept, but our approach is unique. Some advantages of our method include applicability for poorly temperature-controlled camera systems and the possibility of ex post facto dark current correction.

Citation Download Citation

Ralf Widenhorn, Armin Rest, Morley M. Blouke, Richard L. Berry, and Erik Bodegom "Computation of dark frames in digital imagers", Proc. SPIE 6501, Sensors, Cameras, and Systems for Scientific/Industrial Applications VIII, 650103 (21 February 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.714784

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