Calibrating photon counts from a single image

TL;DR

This paper introduces a simple, retroactive method for calibrating detector gain directly from a single image, eliminating the need for multiple calibration images and maintaining comparable precision to traditional methods.

Contribution

The proposed method allows gain calibration from a single image by quantifying out-of-band information, simplifying the process and enabling retroactive application.

Findings

Comparable precision to traditional calibration methods

Applicable to both simulated and experimental data

Eliminates need for multiple calibration images

Abstract

Current methods for detector gain calibration require acquisition of tens of special calibration images. Here we propose a method that obtains the gain from the actual image for which the photon count is desired by quantifying out-of-band information. We show on simulation and experimental data that our much simpler procedure, which can be retroactively applied to any image, is comparable in precision to traditional gain calibration procedures.