A photon counting device includes a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion element configured to convert input light to charge, and an amplifier configured to amplify the charge converted by the photoelectric conversion element and convert the charge to a voltage, an A/D converter configured to convert the voltages output from the amplifiers of the plurality of pixels to digital values; and a conversion unit configured to convert the digital value output from the A/D converter to the number of photons by referring to reference data, for each of the plurality of pixels, and the reference data is created based on a gain and an offset value for each of the plurality of pixels.

A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel unit in which a plurality of unit pixels is arranged in rows and columns, the unit pixels performing photoelectric conversion of incident light to generate pixel information; and a secondary memory unit in which a plurality of unit memories is arranged in rows and columns, the unit memories holding the pixel information, wherein each of the columns in the secondary memory unit includes, as a unit memory block, the unit memories in the column, the secondary memory unit includes: a memory signal line provided for each of the columns in the memory unit; and a selection transistor provided between the unit memory block and the memory signal line, and shared by the plurality of unit memories in the unit memory block.

Methods and digital imaging devices disclosed herein are adapted to capture images of a specimen in a chemical reaction using a series of short exposures of light emissions from the specimen over a period of time. The series of short exposures is captured using an array of pixels of an image sensor in the digital imaging device that are configured for performing continuous non-destructive read operations to read out a set of non-destructive read images of the specimen from the pixel array. In one embodiment, images are captured by delaying the read out until at or near the end of the chemical reaction to reduce read noise in the images. The signals read out from the image sensor can be continuously monitored and the capturing of images can be discontinued either automatically or based on a command from a user. The captured images can then be displayed in a graphical display.

Provided is an imaging device and a defective pixel correction method which can improve the accuracy of a defective pixel correction. In a case where a correction target pixel is a G pixel, a defective pixel correction unit determines whether there is an edge portion around the G pixel; when there is an edge portion, the defective pixel correction unit performs a defect correction by using G pixels adjacent to the G pixel in a X shaped direction; when there is no edge portion, it performs the defect correction using G pixels adjacent to the G pixel in the cross direction.

A radiation imaging apparatus includes a unit constituted by arranging blocks in line and an information processing unit. Each of the blocks includes a conversion element configured to generate an image signal corresponding to radiation, a switching element connected between the conversion element and a column signal line, a detection element configured to detect radiation, and a detection signal line connected to the detection element. The information processing unit corrects a signal from the detection element, by using a value of the signal based on a parasitic capacitance between the conversion elements arranged on the same column as a column of the detection element.

A detection device includes a sensor area in which a plurality of detection elements each comprising a photoelectric conversion element are arranged in a detection region, a drive circuit configured to supply a plurality of drive signals to the detection elements, and a detection circuit configured to process a detection signal output from each of the detection elements.

An image capturing apparatus comprises an image capturing unit that includes an image sensor that has an effective pixel region and a reference pixel region which outputs a reference signal for correcting an output signal of the effective pixel region. In a case where a predetermined condition is satisfied, a reduction unit reduces a data amount of reference pixel region data that corresponds to the reference pixel region in an image data obtained by the image capturing unit. A recording unit records the image data after the processing performed by the reduction unit.

An infrared detector system is described which includes a detector diode array 3 and a non volatile memory 1. The non volatile memory 1 can use CMOS Silicon Fuse technology which can be polysilicon devices that are programmed using voltage-current-time profiles suitable for the silicon process technology, such that when applied will cause the polysilicon element to heat up rapidly and melt. This results in the fuse element going open circuit, just like blowing a known fuse. The fuse can act as a logic element that has a one time, user programmable and permanent logic state. An array of such memory cells is can be mapped to a sub pixel diode detector array.

The present technology relates to a signal processing apparatus, a control method, an image pickup element, and an electronic device which make it possible to suppress RTS noise. The signal processing apparatus of the present technology may include an amplifying transistor and a short-circuit unit. The amplifying transistor amplifies a signal input to a gate, and the short-circuit unit is capable of short-circuiting the gate of the amplifying transistor to a potential which reduces a gate-to-source voltage of the amplifying transistor. For example, it is determined whether the amplifying transistor is in a period of a non-operating state, and when the amplifying transistor is determined to be in the period of a non-operating state, the gate of the amplifying transistor may be short-circuited. The present technology can be applied, for example, to an image pickup element and an electronic device.

In one application, an imaging device includes an image sensor having an array of pixels, and a mask coupled with the image sensor. The mask is configured to darken a plurality of isolated pixels or groups of pixels interspersed within the array of pixels. The imaging device also includes a processor coupled with the image sensor and configured to receive image data from the image sensor, and determine a dark current fixed pattern noise based on the image data received from the plurality of darkened pixels or groups of pixels.