High Speed Low Light Imaging: Escaping the Shot Noise Limit

Publisher: DALSA

Format: PDF
Date: 2009-04-18

Overview:
Explaining how a dual-linescan architecture provides a way to preserve higher signal-to-noise ratio in high speed low light imaging applications, this paper focuses on camera and sensor design considerations that help to achieve higher speed, resolution, and sensitivity, as well as lower noise. Present day challenges faced by camera and sensor designers are described, including a graphical representation of random noise floor and CCE of successive camera generations. Phenomenon of photon shot noise is explained using graphical representations, describing how photon shot noise can be dodged using dual line scan CCD, which also allows for exposure control. The paper also includes a diagrammatic representation of the structure of a dual line scan sensor.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.	The Challenge: More signal with Less Noise	1
1.1.	Higher Resolution	1
1.2.	Higher Scan Rates	1
1.3.	Less Light	1
1.4.	Higher Sensitivity	1
1.5.	Lower Noise	2
2.	Dodging Shot Noise with Dual Linescan	2
3.	Figures
3.1.	Random Noise Floor and CCE of Successive Camera Generations	1
3.2.	Detected Photos and Photon Shot Noise: Sub-Linear Relationship	2
3.3.	Structure of Dual Line Scan Sensor	2
3.4.	Photon Shot Noise as a Function of Responsivity	3