ESTIMATION METHOD FOR AVERAGE NUMBER OF PHOTONS AND ESTIMATION DEVICE FOR AVERAGE NUMBER OF PHOTONS

摘要

To provide an estimation method capable of precisely estimating the average number of photons, and an estimation device for the average number of photons.SOLUTION: The present invention relates to a method of estimating the average number of photons for each pixel from image data obtained through imaging using an electron multiplication type CCD 11, the method including: a preparation process S1 of calculating a probability distribution of pixel values based upon characteristics of the electron multiplication type CCD 11; and an estimation process S4 of using the probability distribution calculated in the preparation process S1 to estimate the average number of photons for each pixel from the image data. In the estimation process S1, a probability distribution of pixel values of a peak pixel P when a first adjacent pixel O, the peak pixel P, and a second adjacent pixel Q detect l, k, and m photons respectively is calculated based upon a probability distribution of pixel values of the peak pixel P, first adjacent pixel O, and second adjacent pixel Q.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2