Performance

analysis

Image Quality

Yousef El-Ganzoury
195108113
Table of Contents
Preface:.......................................................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction:.................................................................................................................................................. 1
System A: ....................................................................................................................................................... 2
System A – ICCD cameras: ......................................................................................................................... 2
System A - EMCCD cameras: ..................................................................................................................... 2
Difference between ICCD and EMCCD cameras:....................................................................................... 2
System B: ....................................................................................................................................................... 5
System B – CMOS cameras: ....................................................................................................................... 5
System B – CCD cameras: .......................................................................................................................... 5
Difference between CMOS and CCD cameras:.......................................................................................... 5
Defense application of ICCD cameras: .......................................................................................................... 7
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................................... 8
References ..................................................................................................................................................... 9
Preface:
In line with the purpose of our project, we will be discussing two different systems which
we will be refereeing to as system A and system B.
Each of these systems will consist of two different camera/imaging systems where we
will be briefly studying both of the systems and will be discussing the difference between both
systems in terms of performance parameters and the effects of these parameters on image
quality. Then will be presenting a tradeoff table where we will be listing the differences
between both systems where the reader can decide which system will be more suitable for his
application.
System A will consist of ICCD cameras and EMCCD cameras, where system B will consist
of CMOS cameras and CCD cameras.

Introduction:
Image quality can refer to the level of accuracy in which different imaging systems capture,
process, store, compress, transmit and display the signals that form an image. Another
definition refers to image quality as "the weighted combination of all of the visually significant
attributes of an image". Image quality can be affected by many factors.

Figure.1 Factors that affect the perceived image.

1|Page
The factors are mathematical constructs that can be referred to as system modelling these
factors can be; observer experience, scene content, atmospheric transmittance, monitor
settings and a variety of miscellaneous factors. These factors are displayed in figure.1.

System A:
System A – ICCD cameras:
ICCD stands for charge-coupled device. ICCD basically is a CCD that is optically connected
to an image intensifier that is mounted in front of the CCD.
Intensified CCDs are also cameras which can exploit gain to overcome the read noise
limit but also have the added feature of being able to achieve very fast gate times. The gating
and amplification occur in the image intensifier tube. Image intensifiers were initially developed
for night vision applications by the Military but increasingly their development is being driven by
scientific applications.
ICCD is an integrated circuit containing an array of linked, or coupled, capacitors. Under
the control of an external circuit, each capacitor can transfer its electric charge to a neighboring
capacitor. CCD sensors are a major technology used in digital imaging.

System A - EMCCD cameras:

EMCCD stands for electron-multiplying charge-coupled device. An EMCCD sensor is a
CCD sensor with the addition of a special EM gain register, which is placed between the
sensor/shift register and the readout electronics/output amplifier. This register amplifies the
signal.
The gain register is split up into a large number of stages. In each stage, the electrons are
multiplied by impact ionization in a similar way to an avalanche diode. Moreover, EMCCD
sensors can be back thinned with a typical peak quantum efficiency of more than 90%.
Especially extreme low light applications benefit from the utilization of EMCCD camera.
EMCCD can also be sometimes known as ‘on-chip multiplication’. So, basically EMCCD
cameras overcome a fundamental physical constraint to deliver high sensitivity with high speed.
In other word, EMCCD cameras amplify the charge signal before the charge amplifier and hence
maintain unprecedented sensitivity at high speeds. Amplification of the signal means that the
readout noise is effectively bypassed and readout noise is no longer a limit on sensitivity.

Difference between ICCD and EMCCD cameras:

We will be discussing the difference between ICCD and EMCCD cameras in terms of
performance in low light and the effect of that on noise and resolution.
Basically, the main player when it comes to performance in low-light imaging technology
is Photon/electron multiplication.

2|Page
 So, let’s start the comparison by making it clear that ICCD cameras can offer a
quantifiable improvement over EMCCD when it comes to low-light imaging arena. That goes
back to that despite the enormous number of noise electrons generated in the ICCD camera
compared to the EMCCD, it nevertheless achieves the better ratio between the signal and the
technical noise contributions.
It is a very important difference that the ICCD amplifies the measurement signal prior to
the readout process and the large number of noise electrons are added to the even higher
number of signal electrons. This makes the ICCD system insensitive against the sensor
temperature and high readout frame rates. However, the strongly cooled EMCCD system only
adds an extremely small amount of noise electrons to the measurement signal yet prior to the
amplification process. So, the noise contributions are amplified to the same extent as the signal
itself.
Usually noise in ICCD cameras can be counted or referred to as dark counts, where in
EMCCD cameras they are referred to as CIC which stands for Clock-induced charge.
Cooled-cathode ICCD cameras usually has 25–50 dark counts per frame per second (fps) or 1–2
counts on average at 30 fps.

Where in deeply cooled EMCCD cameras, Clock-induced charge (CIC), which appears as a signal
equivalent to a single-photon event, typically result in a 1000–1500 per frame dark count equivalent at
30 fps.

To visualize the f=difference between Noise counts between EMCCDs and ICCDs, you can refer to
the performance characteristics differences between ICCDs and EMCCDs that are displayed in figure.2.

Figure.2 Performance characteristic of ICCDs and EMCCDs sensors

3|Page
 Images that compare the cooled ICCD with a deep-cooled EMCCD show a noticeably
better limit of detection with the ICCD for objects producing single-digit photon levels at the
image plane. To refer to these differences between the images please check figure.3.

Figure.3 Images (400 × 400 pixels) taken a Stanford Photonics XR/Turbo-Z ICCD camera and a
Hamamatsu ImagEM EMCCD camera.
In figure.3 the ICCD camera detects 87 photons in the 33 ms exposure shown, where
EMCCD cannot detect the object since clock-induced charge (CIC) noise exceeds the photon
level within the target region of interest.
To also Cleary display differences between ICCDs and EMCCDs in line with differed
factors, we provided table.1 the you can check below:

IDEAL EMCCD ICCD

Quantum Efficiency 100% 93% 50%
(DQE)
Readout Noise 0 60 20
Gain 1 1000 1000
Spurious Noise 0 0.005 0
Dark Noise 0 0.001 0.001
Noise Factor 1 1.41 1.6
Table.1 Tradeoff between ICCD and EMCCD cameras

4|Page
System B:
System B – CMOS cameras:
CMOS stands for Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor. CMOS were originally
used in cell phones and low-end cameras.
In most CMOS devices, there are several transistors at each pixel that amplify and move
the charge using more traditional wires. The CMOS approach is flexible because each pixel can
be read individually.
CMOS cameras feature intra pixel electronics. Their readout principle with thousands of
readout nodes saves time.
CMOS chips use traditional manufacturing processes to create the chip “the same
processes used to make most microprocessors”. So, basically one of the main features of CMOS
image sensors is that they enable the integration of all required camera circuits onto the same
chip, making them well suited for cameras in smartphones and tablets. Initially used in less
expensive devices, the quality of CMOS sensors has improved steadily, and they have been
incorporated into professional cameras.

System B – CCD cameras:

CCD stands for Both charge-coupled device. Like in any other digital camera sensor, its
single pixels generate a charge upon irradiation with light, which is transformed into a digital
signal in the end.
In a CCD image sensor, pixels are represented by p-doped metal–oxide–semiconductor
(MOS) capacitors. These MOS capacitors, the basic building blocks of a CCD.
CCD is an integrated circuit containing an array of linked, or coupled, capacitors. Under
the control of an external circuit, each capacitor can transfer its electric charge to a neighboring
capacitor, so in a CCD device, the charge is actually transported across the chip and read at one
corner of the array.
In other word, CCDs use a special manufacturing process to create the ability to
transport charge across the chip without distortion. This process leads to very high-quality
sensors in terms of fidelity and light sensitivity.

Difference between CMOS and CCD cameras:

We will be discussing the difference between CMOS cameras and CCD cameras (figure.4)
in terms of performance in relation noise and resolution outcomes.
For starters both CCD and CMOS transform the light from one small portion of the image
into electrons using a variety of technologies.

5|Page
 Figure.4 CCD sensor on the left and CMOS sensor on the right.
One of the main differences is that CCD sensors create high-quality, low-noise images,
where CMOS sensors, traditionally, are more susceptible to noise. In comparison to CMOS type
sensors, only a single output node is used for data collection in a CCD sensor.
In contrast to CCDs, CMOS cameras feature intra pixel electronics. Their readout
principle with thousands of readout nodes saves time, since traditional CCD sensors use only a
single readout node.
CCDs tend to be used in cameras that focus on high-quality images with lots of pixels and
excellent light sensitivity. CMOS sensors traditionally have lower quality, lower resolution and
lower sensitivity.
CMOS sensors are just now improving to the point where they reach near parity with
CCD devices in some applications. When this is the most stringent requirement of the
application, then CCD still has the advantage.
The global shutter performance with CCDs is nearly perfect. With CMOS, there is either
rolling shutter or global shutter options. Rolling shutter allows for better sensitivity (lower read
noise) of the sensor, but because not all of the pixels are integrated at the same time, there can
be distortion in the image.
CMOS global shutters are not yet as good as those for CCDs such that even when the
shutter is closed, some light gets through. This reduces the ability to use very short integration
times to freeze motion. That being said, many CMOS manufactures are focused on making
major improvements with the global shutter performance.
To also Cleary display differences between CMOSs and CCDs in line with differed factors,
we provided table.2 the you can check below:

6|Page
 IDEAL EMCCD
Sensitivity: High Low
Noise: Low Moderate
Shutter: Global Rolling
Power Consumption: High Low
Pixel Signal: Electron Voltage
Chip Output: Analog Digital
System Complexity: High Low
Table.2 Tradeoff between ICCD and EMCCD cameras

Defense application of ICCD cameras:

Photonic Science Intensified CCD camera provides the ultimate in low light level imaging
with gating speeds down to 3 ns, shown in figure.5.
Featuring an 18 mm image intensifier with either a Gen 2 & Gen 3 photocathode, 1 or 2
MCP’s for gains between 10^4 and 10^6, and fiber coupled to a CCD or CMOS sensor with a 1:1
distortion free optic, the ICCD provides resolution to 60 lp/mm.
The ICCD can be supplied with many high performance features, such as enhanced
dynamic range, gating down to 3 ns, the ability to automatically control the intensifier gate
period and gain to accommodate 108 range of scene light levels, and in-camera corrections to
provide the cleanest possible image from an ICCD. With a GigE interface compliant with Gigabit
Ethernet Vision (GEV) standard the ICCD can be used on multiple platforms.

Figure.5 Photonic Science Intensified CCD camera

You can refer to the specifications of the Photonic Science Intensified CCD camera in
Table.3.

7|Page
 Sensor Resolution 1360 x 1080 at 6.45μm pitch

Frame rate (fps) 7.5

Dynamic range Intrascene 108

Intensifier input size (mm) 18

Intensifier resolution (lp/mm) 60 single MCP, 30 dual MCP

Photocathodes Bi-alkali, Multi-alkali (Gen 2) and GaAs (Gen 3)104

Intensifier gain (single MCP) 104

Phosphor screen P43 or P46

Minimum gate speed (ns) 3

Gate repetition rate (kHz) 300

In camera corrections bright pixel, offset, flatfied

Camera interface GigE, HD-SDI

Intensifier gain (dual MCP) 106

Table.3 Specifications of Photonic Science Intensified CCD camera

Conclusion
After doing research for this paper we realized that ICCD cameras can offer a quantifiable
improvement over EMCCD when it comes to low-light imaging arena which goes back to that
despite the enormous number of noise electrons generated in the ICCD camera compared to
the EMCCD, it nevertheless achieves the better ratio between the signal and the technical noise
contributions.
Moreover, we realized that CCDs tend to be used in cameras that focus on high-quality
images with lots of pixels and excellent light sensitivity. CMOS sensors traditionally have lower
quality, lower resolution and lower sensitivity. CMOS sensors are just now improving to the
point where they reach near parity with CCD devices in some applications. When this is the
most stringent requirement of the application, then CCD still has the advantage.
So maybe in the near future we will be witnessing ICCD and CCD cameras being replaced by
EMCCD and CMOS cameras, since they are catching up very quickly.

8|Page
References
• https://www.adimec.com/ccd-vs-cmos-image-sensors-in-defense-cameras/
• https://www.phase1vision.com/blog/difference-between-cmos-and-ccd
• https://www.testandmeasurementtips.com/the-difference-between-ccd-and-cmos-
image-sensing-faq/
• http://www.steves-digicams.com/knowledge-center/how-tos/digital-camera-
operation/ccd-vs-cmos-whats-the-difference.html#b
• https://www.bhphotovideo.com/find/newsLetter/Comparing-Image-
Sensors.jsp#:~:text=One%20difference%20between%20CCD%20and,at%20the%20exact
%20same%20time.&text=A%20CMOS%20sensor%20captures%20light,pixel%20one%2D
by%2Done.
• https://stanfordcomputeroptics.com/technology/iccd-and-
emccd.html#:~:text=The%20main%20functional%20difference%20between%20ICCD%20
and%20EMCCD%20cameras&text=Whereas%20the%20EMCCD%20pixel%20now,sensors
%20will%20be%20read%20out.
• https://meroli.web.cern.ch/lecture_cmos_vs_ccd_pixel_sensor.html
• https://www.qualitymag.com/articles/89621-ccd-vs-cmos
• https://andor.oxinst.com/learning/view/article/ccd,-emccd-and-iccd-
comparisons#:~:text=In%20integrating%20mode%20the%20EMCCD,outperform%20the
%20EMCCD%20and%20ICCD.
• https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cameras-photography/digital/question362.htm
• https://photonicscience.com/products/iccd-cameras/intensified-ccd-cmos-camera/
• https://www.army-technology.com/contractors/electrical/defence-vision-systems/
• https://www.laserfocusworld.com/detectors-imaging/article/16547910/lowlight-
imaging-iccd-emccd-and-scmos-compete-in-lowlight-imaging

9|Page