Low-light hyperspectral imager for characterization of biological samples based on an sCMOS image sensor

摘要

The new "scientific CMOS" (sCMOS) sensor technology has been tested for use in hyperspectral imaging. The sCMOS offers extremely low readout noise combined with high resolution and high speed, making it attractive for hyperspectral imaging applications. A commercial HySpex hyperspectral camera has been modified to be used in low light conditions integrating an sCMOS sensor array. Initial tests of fluorescence imaging in challenging light settings have been performed. The imaged objects are layered phantoms labelled with controlled location and concentration of fluorophore. The camera has been compared to a state of the art spectral imager based on CCD technology. The image quality of the sCMOS-based camera suffers from artifacts due to a high density of pixels with excessive noise, attributed to the high operating temperature of the array. Image processing results illustrate some of the benefits and challenges of the new sCMOS technology.