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• 1. [Article] Computation of dark frames in digital imagers

  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 ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Computation of dark frames in digital imagers Author: Widenhorn, Ralf, Rest, Armin, Blouke, Morley M., Berry, Richard L., Bodegom, Erik Year: 2007 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. Title: Computation of dark frames in digital imagers Author: Widenhorn, Ralf, Rest, Armin, Blouke, Morley M., Berry, Richard L., Bodegom, Erik Year: 2007 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. Close

• 2. [Article] Meyer-Neldel rule for dark current in charge-coupled devices

  We present the results of a systematic study of the dark current in each pixel of a charged-coupled device chip. It was found that the Arrhenius plot, at temperatures between 222 and 291 K, deviated from ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Meyer-Neldel rule for dark current in charge-coupled devices Author: Widenhorn, Ralf, Mündermann, Lars, Rest, Armin, Bodegom, Erik Year: 2001 We present the results of a systematic study of the dark current in each pixel of a charged-coupled device chip. It was found that the Arrhenius plot, at temperatures between 222 and 291 K, deviated from a linear behavior in the form of continuous bending. However, as a first approximation, the dark current, D, can be expressed as: D=Dₒ exp(−ΔE/kT),where ΔE is the activation energy, k is Boltzmann’s constant, and T the absolute temperature. It was found that ΔE and the exponential prefactor Dₒ follow the Meyer–Neldel rule (MNR) for all of the more than 222,000 investigated pixels. The isokinetic temperature, Tₒ, for the process was found as 294 K. However, measurements at 313 K did not show the predicted inversion in the dark current. It was found that the dark current for different pixels merged at temperatures higher than Tₒ. A model is presented which explains the nonlinearity and the merging of the dark current for different pixels with increasing temperature. Possible implications of this finding regarding the MNR are discussed. Title: Meyer-Neldel rule for dark current in charge-coupled devices Author: Widenhorn, Ralf, Mündermann, Lars, Rest, Armin, Bodegom, Erik Year: 2001 We present the results of a systematic study of the dark current in each pixel of a charged-coupled device chip. It was found that the Arrhenius plot, at temperatures between 222 and 291 K, deviated from a linear behavior in the form of continuous bending. However, as a first approximation, the dark current, D, can be expressed as: D=Dₒ exp(−ΔE/kT),where ΔE is the activation energy, k is Boltzmann’s constant, and T the absolute temperature. It was found that ΔE and the exponential prefactor Dₒ follow the Meyer–Neldel rule (MNR) for all of the more than 222,000 investigated pixels. The isokinetic temperature, Tₒ, for the process was found as 294 K. However, measurements at 313 K did not show the predicted inversion in the dark current. It was found that the dark current for different pixels merged at temperatures higher than Tₒ. A model is presented which explains the nonlinearity and the merging of the dark current for different pixels with increasing temperature. Possible implications of this finding regarding the MNR are discussed. Close

• 3. [Article] Dark current behavior in DSLR cameras

  Digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras are examined and their dark current behavior is presented. We examine the influence of varying temperature, exposure time, and gain setting on dark current. Dark ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Dark current behavior in DSLR cameras Author: Dunlap, Justin Charles, Sostin, Oleg, Widenhorn, Ralf, Bodegom, Erik Year: 2009 Digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras are examined and their dark current behavior is presented. We examine the influence of varying temperature, exposure time, and gain setting on dark current. Dark current behavior unique to sensors within such cameras is observed. In particular, heat is trapped within the camera body resulting in higher internal temperatures and an increase in dark current after successive images. We look at the possibility of correcting for the dark current, based on previous work done for scientific grade imagers, where hot pixels are used as indicators for the entire chip?s dark current behavior. Standard methods of dark current correction are compared to computed dark frames. Dark current is a concern for DSLR cameras as optimum conditions for limiting dark current, such as cooling the imager, are not easily obtained in the typical use of such imagers. Title: Dark current behavior in DSLR cameras Author: Dunlap, Justin Charles, Sostin, Oleg, Widenhorn, Ralf, Bodegom, Erik Year: 2009 Digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras are examined and their dark current behavior is presented. We examine the influence of varying temperature, exposure time, and gain setting on dark current. Dark current behavior unique to sensors within such cameras is observed. In particular, heat is trapped within the camera body resulting in higher internal temperatures and an increase in dark current after successive images. We look at the possibility of correcting for the dark current, based on previous work done for scientific grade imagers, where hot pixels are used as indicators for the entire chip?s dark current behavior. Standard methods of dark current correction are compared to computed dark frames. Dark current is a concern for DSLR cameras as optimum conditions for limiting dark current, such as cooling the imager, are not easily obtained in the typical use of such imagers. Close

• 4. [Article] Dark Current Measurements in a CMOS Imager

  We present data for the dark current of a commercially available CMOS image sensor for different gain settings and bias offsets over the temperature range of 295 to 340 K and exposure times of 0 to 500 ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Dark Current Measurements in a CMOS Imager Author: Porter, William C., Kopp, Bradley, Dunlap, Justin Charles, Widenhorn, Ralf, Bodegom, Erik Year: 2008 We present data for the dark current of a commercially available CMOS image sensor for different gain settings and bias offsets over the temperature range of 295 to 340 K and exposure times of 0 to 500 ms. The analysis of hot pixels shows two different sources of dark current. One source results in hot pixels with high but constant count for exposure times smaller than the frame time. Other hot pixels exhibit a linear increase with exposure time. We discuss how these hot pixels can be used to calculate the dark current for all pixels. Finally, we show that for low bias settings with universally zero counts for the dark frame one still needs to correct for dark current. The correction of thermal noise can therefore result in dark frames with negative pixel values. We show how one can calculate dark frames with negative pixel count. Title: Dark Current Measurements in a CMOS Imager Author: Porter, William C., Kopp, Bradley, Dunlap, Justin Charles, Widenhorn, Ralf, Bodegom, Erik Year: 2008 We present data for the dark current of a commercially available CMOS image sensor for different gain settings and bias offsets over the temperature range of 295 to 340 K and exposure times of 0 to 500 ms. The analysis of hot pixels shows two different sources of dark current. One source results in hot pixels with high but constant count for exposure times smaller than the frame time. Other hot pixels exhibit a linear increase with exposure time. We discuss how these hot pixels can be used to calculate the dark current for all pixels. Finally, we show that for low bias settings with universally zero counts for the dark frame one still needs to correct for dark current. The correction of thermal noise can therefore result in dark frames with negative pixel values. We show how one can calculate dark frames with negative pixel count. Close

• 5. [Article] Measurements of dark current in a CCD imager during light exposures

  Thermal excitation of electrons is a major source of noise in Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) imagers. Those electrons are generated even in the absence of light, hence the name dark current. Dark current ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Measurements of dark current in a CCD imager during light exposures Author: Widenhorn, Ralf, Hartwig, Ines, Dunlap, Justin Charles, Bodegom, Erik Year: 2008 Thermal excitation of electrons is a major source of noise in Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) imagers. Those electrons are generated even in the absence of light, hence the name dark current. Dark current is particularly important for long exposure times and elevated temperatures. The standard procedure to correct for dark current is to take several pictures under the same condition as the real image, except with the shutter closed. The resulting dark frame is later subtracted from the exposed image. We address the question of whether the dark current produced in an image taken with a closed shutter is identical to the dark current produced in an exposure in the presence of light. In our investigation, we illuminated two different CCD chips to different intensities of light and measured the dark current generation. A surprising conclusion of this study is that some pixels produce a different amount of dark current under illumination. Finally, we discuss the implications that this has for dark frame image correction. Title: Measurements of dark current in a CCD imager during light exposures Author: Widenhorn, Ralf, Hartwig, Ines, Dunlap, Justin Charles, Bodegom, Erik Year: 2008 Thermal excitation of electrons is a major source of noise in Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) imagers. Those electrons are generated even in the absence of light, hence the name dark current. Dark current is particularly important for long exposure times and elevated temperatures. The standard procedure to correct for dark current is to take several pictures under the same condition as the real image, except with the shutter closed. The resulting dark frame is later subtracted from the exposed image. We address the question of whether the dark current produced in an image taken with a closed shutter is identical to the dark current produced in an exposure in the presence of light. In our investigation, we illuminated two different CCD chips to different intensities of light and measured the dark current generation. A surprising conclusion of this study is that some pixels produce a different amount of dark current under illumination. Finally, we discuss the implications that this has for dark frame image correction. Close